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Prince William doesn’t seem to be thrilled that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s trip to Nigeria was a great success. The country is a part of the British Commonwealth, and even though it was a goodwill visit to entice the Invictus Games to choose Nigeria for future events, it might have felt like a royal tour to the palace.
Royal expert Tom Quinn believes that the royal family is mostly concerned about the optics, especially at a time when the “slimmed-down monarchy” is struggling to make the bare minimum of appearances. “William is absolutely furious and determined to find a way to stop this happening in the future,” Quinn told The Mirror. “Charles is said to be angrier than anyone has ever seen him.” However, the palace probably should have a deeper concern about the red-carpet reception Harry and Meghan received in Nigeria.
“What’s really upset the applecart is the fact that that the Nigerians treated Meghan and Harry as if they too thought this was an official tour – all the signs were there as the couple were greeted with dances, receptions, visits to schools and charities,” the expert added. It again proves how the royal family missed the mark in addressing the couple’s concerns years ago when they were working members of the palace. Harry and Meghan left a “charisma vacancy” when they left the royal family, according to Tina Brown’s book, The Palace Papers. The Nigeria visit showed what has been missing from royal engagements since the Sussexes left — Kate Middleton can’t carry the royal family alone.
While Quinn feels like Harry and Meghan “have gone rogue,” it is more of an internal palace issue. King Charles III needs to figure out a way to make their appearances and schedule more robust with so many royals out of rotation or on a limited schedule. The Daily Mail believes that he will be calling up Princess Beatrice, and possibly Princess Eugenie, to add a touch of “glamour” to the summer calendar. “Charles is very aware that his slimmed-down monarchy is getting positively skeletal. He is heavily reliant on Anne and the Edinburghs,” a source noted. “Charles is listening to his public. They have been crying out for that royal glamour that has been missing during a time when his slimmed-down monarchy is in desperate need of bulking up.”
Quinn thinks Charles and William have a “nightmare situation” on their hands, but Harry and Meghan aren’t traveling the world like royals frequently do. The Nigerian trip was a very specific invite tied to the Invictus Games. The royal family has plenty of opportunities to shine in the next few months with Trooping the Colour and Royal Ascot — they don’t need to be looking over their shoulders to see what Harry and Meghan are doing.
