The Duke of Sussex also wrote that Catherine was offended by Meghan’s suggestion that the princess may be suffering from “baby brain.” Jennie Bond told OK! magazine that, while Catherine had once seen the relationship with the Sussexes as salvageable, healing the rift was looking increasingly difficult.
“Catherine has been hurt and insulted by things that Harry and Meghan have said, but she and William are a very strong team, and I suspect that, together, they've come to the conclusion that the rift with Harry cannot be fixed in the foreseeable future,” the royal expert explained. “They've closed their minds to that possibility and decided to get on with their lives.”
But could this Christmas message, focusing as it does on the importance of forgiveness, mark hope for a potential new beginning—an olive branch to Prince Harry and Meghan? The Princess of Wales is not the only senior royal with forgiveness on their mind. In recent months, King Charles is reported to have sought spiritual guidance from faith leaders, which left him “open to a truce” with his son.
These concerns will all be circulating during the Together at Christmas carol concert, which takes place this Friday, but will air to the nation during a special Christmas Eve programme on ITV1 and ITVX. Amid the family tensions and the sombre reflections on the royals’ health battles this year, though, friends of the family have suggested that the occasion will be a joyous one. including Kate Middleton will act as a master of ceremonies, and will be joined by notable celebrities such as Michelle Dockery, Richard E Grant, Sophie Okonedo, and Sir Chris Hoy, who has a terminal cancer diagnosis. Prince William is also reportedly set to give a reading.
Speaking to Vanity Fair, one source said, “It’s a really important occasion for Catherine and she is determined to be there, having been quite hands-on behind the scenes. Expect it to be a big family occasion and a happy note on which to close an otherwise very challenging 2024.”
This article first appeared on Tatler.