Much of what the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have said and done since quitting Britain five years ago has astonished members of the Royal Household.
These include their accusations of racism against unnamed members of the family in their Oprah Winfrey interview in 2021 and Meghanâs recent posting of a video that showed her âtwerkingâ in the maternity ward before the birth of their second child, Lilibet.
Now, however, the couple have managed to spring a fresh surprise on their royal relations who are long accustomed to bombshells from Montecito.
The Guardian newspaper, a favourite of Left-wing republicans, was the unusual recipient of a briefing from âsources close to the Sussexesâ last week.
These apparently well-informed insiders were keen to share private details with the newspaper about the passports of the coupleâs children, Prince Archie, six, and Princess Lilibet, four.
The Guardian reported that passport applications for both children included the titles HRH (His /Her Royal Highness) as well as the surname Sussex, which â as viewers of the duchessâs latest Netflix show With Love, Meghan will be well aware â is the one she now insists on being used.
Buried in this strange report in a newspaper not usually interested in royal gossip was a revelation which, I am told, left Palace insiders âutterly bewilderedâ.
Passport applications for both Prince Archie, six, and Princess Lilibet, four, reportedly included the titles HRH as well as the surname Sussex
Could the Sussexes, who chose to give up boring old public duties to seek their fortune in the US, stage a return to the royal fold via their children, writes Richard Eden
It read: âThe Guardian understands that Prince Harry wants to keep the HRH titles for his children so that when they grow older they can decide for themselves whether they want to become working royals, or stay out of public life.â
It begs the question: Could the Sussexes, who chose to give up boring old public duties to seek their fortune in the US, stage a return to the royal fold via their children?
âI find this very hard to understand,â one royal source told me this week. âHarry and Meghan apparently found official duties and life within the Royal Family unbearable, yet they want this for their children. It doesnât make sense.â
Itâs true that the Sussexes have devoted much time and energy to publicising their unhappiness with royal life.
Itâs hard to forget Harryâs grin on a video recording as he described their âfreedom flightâ to Los Angeles when they began their American adventure in 2020.
And the title of their sycophantic biography by journalists Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand that year was, of course, Finding Freedom.
During their interview with Oprah, Meghan said the pressure of being a working royal was so intolerable that it drove her to thoughts of suicide. She said she had been the victim of âcharacter assassinationâ and that the pressure led her to the point of self-harm.
Itâs hard to forget Harryâs grin on a video recording as he described their âfreedom flightâ to Los Angeles when they began their American adventure in 2020, says Richard Eden
âI was really ashamed to say it at the time, and ashamed to have to admit it to Harry especially because I know how much loss he has suffered, but I knew that if I didnât say it, then I would do it,â an emotional Meghan said. âI just didnât want to be alive any more.â
So why would she and Harry want their children to return to the âgoldfish bowlâ of royal life?
My suspicion is that this is less about the future roles of their children and more about maintaining Harry and Meghanâs royal links now.
Meghan, in particular, seems well aware of the value of the HRH titles, which they reportedly insisted were printed on their childrenâs passports.
Just last week, the duchess spoke about possibly running a company with her daughter, Princess Lilibet, in the future.
âI wonder if one day Iâll be in business with Lili and weâll be building something,â Meghan told Tina Knowles, mother of pop superstar Beyonce, on her podcast, Confessions of a Female Founder.
I wonder, would it perhaps be better for business if Lili were an American princess in line for a dramatic return to the Royal Family?
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