Is Prince Harry's latest interview a welcome relief or an alarming sign of what is to come for Royal Family?

Is Prince Harry's latest interview a welcome relief or an alarming sign of what is to come for Royal Family?

Cameron Walker tells GB News: 'Harry appears to be turning a corner'.

GB News
Cameron Walker

By Cameron Walker


Published: 16/02/2024

- 20:30

Updated: 16/02/2024

- 20:31

The last few years have proved a very rocky road for the Duke of Sussex

If one had a crystal ball pre-Megxit and looked into the future to see Prince Harry's latest interview, I would forgive you for thinking the King's youngest son was still a much-loved working member of the Royal Family.

The Duke of Sussex agreed to an interview with ABC's Good Morning America (GMA) to promote the work of the Invictus Games, which he set up in 2014 to help wounded veterans with their recovery.


Prince Harry, who served two tours of Afghanistan with the British Army, appeared in his element on the snowy mountains of Whistler, Canada, marking the one-year countdown to Invictus 2025.

He was clearly enjoying the "banter" with veterans from different countries and thrived off meeting their families.

Prince Harry

The Duke of Sussex agreed to an interview with ABC's Good Morning America (GMA) to promote the work of the Invictus Games.

Getty

The prince was visibly emotional at one point, talking about the plight of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers defending their homeland from Russian aggression.

A hint of nostalgia towards the much-loved Prince Harry of the past.

Inevitably, the headlines do not focus on Invictus, instead analysing every word Prince Harry had to say about his father's cancer diagnosis.

In reality, the last few years have proved a very rocky road for the Duke of Sussex.

Relations with the Royal Family are strained following Harry's Netflix series documenting his exit from the Royal Family, and bombshell memoir 'Spare' which was heavily critical of the institution.

Prince Harry

The last few years have proved a very rocky road for the Duke of Sussex.

Getty

Favourability ratings for him and Meghan have plummeted, and the Duke and Duchess were mocked in US sitcoms 'Family Guy' and 'South Park' last year.

When I first learned the prince had given an interview to GMA, which teased Harry would reveal "how his father King Charles is doing", I was surprised.

The entire week appeared to be about a rebrand for the couple with a glossy new website, a controversial royal crest, and a surname change to "Sussex" for their children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

Although critics of Harry and Meghan accused them of capitalising on their royal titles, there was a noticeable absence of details about their former working royal lives in their biographies.

So, if this rebrand aimed to focus on Harry and Meghan as individuals, rather than royals, why would the prince be discussing the King with an American journalist?

Especially when Harry, presumably, wanted the spotlight on the countdown to Invictus 2025 and the veterans taking part.

Prince Harry

Prince Harry refused to be drawn on private medical details about his father.

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I can imagine alarm bells were ringing behind Palace walls; Harry has a track record of revealing private details about his family.

However, when asked about his father's prognosis, he told ABC Correspondent Will Reeve: "That stays between me and him."

Prince Harry refused to be drawn on private medical details about his father, suggesting he had turned a corner after being accused of 'dishing the dirt' in exchange for publicity.

Apart from confirming what we already knew (the King had spoken to him personally about his cancer diagnosis ahead of the public announcement), he offered very little detail apart from "any illness, any sickness, brings families together".

A welcome relief for King Charles, whose private medical details remain confidential.

I suspect His Majesty would also be pleased his youngest son did not reveal any details about their half an hour meeting earlier this month, following the cancer diagnosis.

Prince Harry

Prince Harry willingly put himself in front of a TV camera and a journalist, who was primed to ask him about his private family life.

Getty

But Prince Harry willingly put himself in front of a TV camera and a journalist, who was primed to ask him about his private family life.

Perhaps this was the price he had to pay to get his Invictus message across - changing veterans' lives and giving them purpose again.

The challenge for Harry in future is successfully promoting his charitable causes, without defaulting to revealing private information about his family.

He appears to have taken a step in the right direction to reconciliation, but there is still a long way to go.

Promoting charitable causes are unlikely to pay vast security bills or a reported multi-million dollar mortgage.

It remains unclear how this will be paid for, without resorting to media deals or book sales.

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