
Will they or won't they?
Royal commentators are busy placing their metaphorical bets on whether the Royal Family—specifically King Charles and the Waleses—will respond to allegations made in Netflix' Harry & Meghan.
For one royal editor, they may be forced to put out a statement if the second installment of the Sussex docuseries is as chock-full of bombshells as the trailer makes it look.
"The royals may have been content to keep calm and carry on regardless of what has been said so far," Russell Myers writes for the Mirror.
"But if this final installment goes as far as it appears, they may have no choice but to hit back and risk creating further havoc in an already desperately sad situation."
Royals generally prefer to keep mum on controversies, but the minute-long teaser for this coming Thursday's new episodes sees Harry speak of "institutional gaslighting" and claim, "They were happy to lie to protect my brother. They were never willing to tell the truth to protect us."
Meghan: "I wasn't being thrown to the wolves, I was being FED to the wolves."Harry: "They were happy to lie to protect my brother. They were never willing to tell the truth to protect us" A new trailer for the dramatic second half of @Netflix's Harry & Meghan, out Thursday. pic.twitter.com/uls0DaV2ThDecember 12, 2022
And that's just the start of it, so it wouldn't be totally extraordinary if the royal households chose to respond to clarify certain allegations.
Meanwhile, royal expert Katie Nicholl previously told Entertainment Tonight, "I've spoken to senior palace aides who said they are reluctant to comment unless there is anything damaging, untrue or defamatory.
"In this docuseries, they really don't want to be drawn into it for the simple fact that they don't want to give an already much-hyped docuseries even more oxygen or publicity.
"So, I think if they can ride this out without being drawn into it, then that's probably the strategy. I'm told by a senior palace aide, it's a case of keep calm and carry on, and let's not get too distracted by this."
Before the trailer came out, a royal source told the Mirror (in an article also written by Myers), "As far as everyone is concerned it’s business as usual and there is no desire to engage in a tit-for-tat war of words.
"There’s certainly nothing in the first half worth engaging with and there’s nothing new about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex talking in public about their time in the Royal Family."
This narrative isn't entirely true, since a Palace source denied Netflix' claim that they reached out to royals for comment in Volume 1, which may not be much, but isn't total silence, either.
Regardless, the source added, "A dignified silence is the order of the day as the focus is entirely on getting on with the job."
But the incendiary teaser, released Monday, may well have changed all of that.
As ever, all that's left to do is to wait and see.
Iris Goldsztajn is a London-based journalist, editor and author. She is the morning editor at Marie Claire, and her work has appeared in the likes of InStyle, Cosmopolitan, Bustle and Shape. Iris writes about everything from celebrity news and relationship advice to the pitfalls of diet culture and the joys of exercise. She has many opinions on Harry Styles, and can typically be found eating her body weight in cheap chocolate.
-
So You're Bringing a Plus One to a Wedding This Summer—Who Pays for What?
With celebration season in full swing, here's how to map out who should be paying for what, long before you start mailing back those RSVPs.
By Jillian Dara
-
Celebrity Makeup Artists Told Me Exactly How to Nail a Smokey Eye—And It Only Takes Five Steps
Easy-to-follow-steps and must-have products, brought to you by the pros.
By Brooke Knappenberger
-
My Bags Are Packed to Go OOO—These Are the Pieces I’m Bringing to Italy
“Sing to me, Paolo.”
By Humaa Hussain
-
'Succession' Actor Brian Cox Says Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Are "Victims" of the "Moribund" Royal Institution
He has strong feelings about their situation.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Prince Harry Has Arrived at the High Court in London to Make His Case Against the 'Daily Mail' Publishers
Hi, Harry!
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Meghan Markle Made $80K Per Year With The Tig, But Could Make Much More With a Relaunch: Branding Expert
It could be a smart business move for the duchess.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Paris Hilton Calls Princess Diana Her Idol, Says She’s Rooting for Prince Harry
Hilton and Harry both released memoirs this year.
By Rachel Burchfield
-
Catherine, Princess of Wales’ Daring Erdem Look from This Week Has a Deeper Backstory
A British fashion label apparently became a divisive element in her relationship with sister-in-law Meghan Markle.
By Rachel Burchfield
-
Meghan Markle Gives Prince Harry "A Love That He's Never Had Before," Sarah Ferguson Says
That's both lovely and so sad.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Prince Harry Still "Longs for That Association" With the Royal Family, Expert Claims
I mean, it's his family.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
While the Royal Family Skipped Princess Lilibet’s Christening, Princess Diana’s Two Sisters Were There
Prince Harry did have family at the event, even though there were no royals.
By Rachel Burchfield