Remember when Prince Harry repeatedly said that he was willing to “give up” his titles in exchange for his family’s freedom? In the negotiations for Harry and Meghan’s exit in 2020, Harry believed everything was on the table and he even suggested the idea of giving up the Sussex titles in particular. It didn’t happen – the palace didn’t take their titles, and the excuse has been that neither QEII nor King Charles wanted to “look” punitive. I tend to believe that the calculation was less about optics and more like the institution’s mistaken belief that Harry would come crawling back to them. But, according to Robert Jobson’s latest book (Our King), there were actually high-level conversations about “stripping” Harry of his title. Those same high-level senior courtiers openly discussed how Harry was Meghan’s “hostage.” These people and their misogyny and racism, my god.

Discussions about stripping Harry of his Duke of Sussex title were held at the highest level and senior aides joked that he was a ‘hostage’ of his wife Meghan, a new bombshell book has revealed. The new book by veteran Royal writer Robert Jobson, due to be published on Thursday, shows how palace insiders would make jibes about Harry being a ‘victim of Stockholm syndrome’ as they blamed Meghan for the ‘fallout’ with the Royal Family.

Others, including some senior officials who feel Harry has ‘turned his back on everything he has known’, think the is the ‘driving force in everything that happened’ and want to see him demoted to Mr Mountbatten-Windsor of Montecito, California.

King Charles is understood to ‘not to be in favour’ of axing Harry’s royal title and has ‘enduring love for his son’, despite having made the decision that Meghan should not accompany Harry to Balmoral when the family gathered after the Queen died.

It is understood that the King is ‘saddened by the widening gulf’ between him and Harry, the royal expert claims, adding that Charles wishes he could see more of his grandchildren, Archie, three, and one-year-old Lilibet. Insiders also allege that the relationship between the King and the Sussexes becomes further from the possibility of repair with each interview Harry partakes in.

One senior aide, discussing the rift, told Mr Jobson: ‘Some blame Meghan Markle for the fallout, ignoring the fact that Harry seems to be the driving force in everything that happened. There was a point when officials joked Harry was the victim of Stockholm syndrome, and he was Meghan’s hostage, but now most just feel Harry has turned his back on everything he has known.’

[From The Daily Mail]

“It is understood that the King is ‘saddened by the widening gulf’ between him and Harry, the royal expert claims, adding that Charles wishes he could see more of his grandchildren…” Charles literally evicted his son, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren from the gifted home for which they paid millions. Charles evicted them out of spite, in retaliation for the publication of Harry’s memoir. If Charles actually wanted to encourage more visits from Harry or spend more time with his grandchildren, surely he would have ensured that they always have a safe and secure home in England, and ensure that they don’t have to jump through unhinged hoops with the Met Police?

As for the thick vein of misogyny and racism within the royal court… the thing is, the courtiers who talked openly about Harry having “Stockholm syndrome” are the same ones proudly briefing Jobson about it. They think that they’re insulting Harry, that it’s the worst thing for a man to be so in love with his wife, to be married to a woman he adores. Worse yet, King Charles is literally married to a machiavellian villainous who is the actual “reason” why Charles has such terrible relationships with his sons.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Instar, Backgrid.