Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's return to the UK has been described as a "soap opera" by a royal watcher who has cautioned Britons to "fasten their seatbelts."
Sun columnist Jane Moore noted that less than a fortnight after their private jet touched down, "it's kicked off," with King Charles's letter branding them "private citizens" firmly outside the royal fold.
The Sussex camp insisted they were "surprised" by the missive, despite Palace claims of advance warning, just as their security fate was decided.
Commercial appeal remains
Ms Moore argues Harry's first outing looked like a "pseudo-royal engagement," proving his royal stardust remains commercially potent no matter what the King says.
She said: "Every appearance the Sussexes make will be viewed through a royal prism, every speech will be scrutinised for some coded reference to his family, and every disagreement with the Palace (trust me, there'll be plenty more) will simply fuel publicity for whatever brand is paying them to turn up to an event."
Warning for what lies ahead
"So fasten your seatbelts folks, it's going to be a bumpy ride," she added.
Ms Moore concluded: "While the location of the soap opera may have changed, the script remains unchanged."
