THE QUEEN'S GRACIOUS GESTURE

Heartbreak over Harry

- Andrew Mackintosh

In the run-up to their wedding, Prince Harry famously said, “What Meghan wants, Meghan gets.” In that instance it was a tiara made famous by Diana, Princess of Wales, but she didn’t get it – the Queen firmly pointed her in the direction of a different model.

Whether the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will fare better with their current set of demands – to retain royal status without holding down a front-line role, gain financial independence, and live between North America and the UK – is still in question.

But this time, the 93-year-old Queen is driving attempts to find a resolution to this latest royal crisis, known in the palace as “the Sussex situation”. And she does tend to get her way.

At an emergency summit at Sandringham on January 13, Her Majesty, Prince Charles (71), Prince William (37) and Harry (35) worked out a “direction of travel”. The details may take weeks or months to work out but a rare, personal statement from the Queen, issued immediately afterwards, hints at conciliation, compassion and a real determination to reach a workable compromise.

Describing the discussions as “very constructive”, she said, “My family and I are entirely supportive of Harry and Meghan’s desire to create a new life as a young family.”

The word “family” is used eight times in 153 words and the Sussexes are called Harry and Meghan, rather than by their titles. The tone is soft and accommodating – the Queen keeping everyone together and creating at least the illusion of unity.

While making it clear that she would have preferred the duke and duchess to remain as full-time members of The Firm, she agreed to a transitional period of them living between Canada and the UK – and they would be allowed to earn their own money, to free them from any public funding.