Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been back in the UK for over two months, but public forgiveness remains elusive, and no meeting with King Charles or Prince William and Princess Catherine has taken place.
Two Months Back in Britain
With the Duke and Duchess of Sussex having relocated back to Britain at the end of August, the start of November marks over two months since they arrived. On paper, it's going well. The couple have said they are happy to be back in the country they left in 2020, when they decided royal duty wasn't for them and that the US was where they wanted to be.
Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet are settled at school, having a British upbringing like Harry wanted for them. But it has not been picture perfect, according to royal reporter Jasmine Carey.
No Meeting with Royal Relatives
One of the reasons Harry came back to Britain was to be closer to his royal relatives, yet he has hardly seen them. He has been back for over two months, and a meeting with his father, King Charles, has not taken place. The monarch has a busy diary, so it kind of makes sense.
As for a meeting with Prince William and Princess Catherine, Harry's estranged brother and sister-in-law, their chances have not changed now that they are back on UK soil. Rumour has it they haven't spoken for years, and this is not set to change anytime soon.
Public Opinion Remains Critical
What is more of a slap in the face for Harry and Meghan is the fact that the public do not seem to have yet forgiven them. Two months back, and it seems that they have failed to change the public's mind about them. They still rank low in popularity polls, many Brits still call for them to go back to the US, and criticism remains heavy.
Not always, their Nottingham trip for example seemed to go well, but in many cases, it seems the British public have neither forgiven nor forgotten everything the couple once said about the UK and royal life. This is no doubt a relief for William and Catherine, because how can you have a rival royal court, like Harry and Meghan have been accused of wanting, if the public are almost solely on the side of the rivals?
Long Road to Redemption
Carey thinks Harry and Meghan can learn something from their two months of living back in the UK so far. They need to understand why the public can't forgive and forget, as they really didn't hold back from criticising Britain and the monarchy, and they should apologise.
They also need to know that improving their image will take time. It will be a long process in which they will need to prove themselves and that they aren't just back in the UK for financial reasons. People value genuine motives more than anything else. It will only be a matter of time before more people see the positives Harry and Meghan have and bring. But forgiveness cannot be earned overnight, and clearly it can't be earned in two months either.
