Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are returning to the UK after six years in America, and they might not find many allies within the Royal Family. Harry is estranged from Prince William and has reportedly “lost touch” with Princess Eugenie. Because of this, it is believed that the Sussexes will be relying on Harry’s Spencer relatives more.
Stay at Althorp House
When Harry and Meghan visited the UK last month, they stayed at Althorp House, the home of Earl Spencer, Princess Diana’s younger brother. Charles, Earl Spencer, promised in his eulogy at Princess Diana’s funeral in 1997 to protect his nephews: “I pledge that we, your blood family, will do all we can to continue the imaginative way in which you were steering these two exceptional young men so that their souls are not simply immersed by duty and tradition but can sing openly as you planned.”
King Charles’ former butler, Grant Harrold, has said that Earl Spencer could already be supporting the Sussexes with the transition, saying he could have potentially offered them a place to stay while they settle. This comes after Charles announced last Friday that Althorp would be closed to the public from September 1. This is an annual occurrence, with the estate only opening from July 1 to August 31.
Close Family Ties
The Sussexes could also call on Harry’s close relationships with Diana’s two sisters, Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Lady Jane Fellowes. They, along with Charles Spencer, visited Montecito for the christening of Princess Lilibet, which none of the royals attended. In his memoir Spare, Harry gave a ‘stand out thanks’ to his maternal relations, Lady Sarah, Lady Jane, and Earl Spencer. He didn’t thank the late Queen, King Charles, or Prince William.
Should Harry and Meghan settle in the Cotswolds, as speculation suggests, they would be close to the Spencers, meaning Harry can see his maternal cousins. His cousins have a combined 11 children who can be friends with Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5.
Potential Rival Court Concerns
There are concerns that this would create a rival court to the Royal Family, similar to the one that formed after Princess Diana and then-Prince Charles separated in 1992, with the two establishing competing households.
