Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been accused of withholding photos from their reunion with King Charles to use as "fodder for their next book," according to royal commentator Link Lauren. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex reunited the monarch with their children, Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five, for the first time in four years this week at Highgrove.
Criticism Over Lack of Photos
Lauren suggested that the couple is saving the material for commercial gain. "No photos will be published now, because Meghan and Harry need fodder," he said. "Every conversation will be regurgitated and filtered through their lens."
The meeting is seen as a potential thaw in the strained relationship between King Charles and his youngest son, following years of estrangement. However, Lauren warned that the US-based couple could be mining for content for "their next book or reality show."
Background of Royal Rifts
The duke and duchess previously detailed their grievances with the Royal Family in a Netflix docu-series and Harry's memoir, Spare. They alleged that the Firm's press offices would "trade" negative stories about them to protect other senior royals and argued that the institution failed to protect Meghan as a biracial woman.
Harry brought his family to the UK while he undertook a week-long series of events promoting charities and organisations close to his heart, including the Invictus Games.
Security and Accommodation Issues
Security issues initially prevented Meghan and the children from travelling with him on Monday, but concerns were sufficiently mitigated to allow the Highgrove visit. In the run-up to the reunion, there was a public disagreement over royal accommodation for Harry, which ended with the duke finding his own private lodgings.
Harry has faced a protracted legal battle with the Home Office over security arrangements for his family when in the UK, after his level of protection changed when he stepped down as a working royal in 2020. He had been waiting for a review by the Risk Management Board, part of the process by which the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures rules on his security requirements, but found out last Friday that this has yet to take place.
The Sussexes are not eligible for taxpayer-funded protection while in the UK, other than when within royal residences, so it remains to be seen whether visits to King Charles will become commonplace.
