Prince Harry should issue an apology following his return to the UK with Meghan Markle, royal commentator Jennie Bond has said, but Buckingham Palace should also acknowledge its own mistakes.
Speaking on Sky News, Bond said an apology from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex "would be nice" as they prepare to settle back into life in Britain. The couple returned to the country last week after years in California, following their departure from royal duties in 2020.
Call for a royal reset
Bond welcomed the couple and urged Brits to "reset" their attitudes towards them, while asking the former working royals to do the same. She also made a similar plea to King Charles III.
She said: "An apology would be nice from Harry and Meghan because they have said and done things that have been deeply hurtful. A recognition, acknowledgement from the Palace that they could have done things better, perhaps."
Private reconciliation suggested
Bond suggested the couple could keep any repairs to family relations private, paving the way for a more "civil" relationship. She added: "That all could be done privately, then surely they could all move forward, and we could move forward and be civil."
However, she stopped short of saying the Royal Family should fully restore their relations with Meghan and Harry. She said: "The brothers don't have to be that close any more, they don't have to be best buddies. But can they not have a civil and courteous relationship?"
Distraction concerns
Sources have claimed Prince William was deeply hurt by Harry's airing of family grievances in interviews and his autobiography Spare, released in 2023.
Bond previously told the Mirror that the working royals face a "very real prospect" of having their duties overshadowed by the Sussexes after their return. She said: "One of the biggest challenges facing the working royals at the moment is the very real prospect of their work being overshadowed by anything the Sussexes do, at least whilst we all get used to them being back in the UK.
"And that's a distraction that will annoy the King and — especially — William. I'm afraid it will all be seen as something of a competition in the next few months, particularly as Harry tries to get more publicity for his Invictus Games.
"And, until the novelty of having him and the family back in the UK wears off, it's a competition that Harry will probably win. And that will mean less news coverage for the work his family are doing on behalf of the country and for the charities and campaigns they spend their lives supporting."
Harry and Meghan landed in Birmingham on Wednesday, with a private jet reportedly belonging to the couple spotted at the city's major airport. Neither the couple nor the other royals have issued any official statements about the arrival.
