Channel 5's Storm & Alexis turned tense as Rick Kelsey, a frequent guest on Jeremy Vine, clashed with hosts over Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's status as non-working royals. The debate followed the couple's appearance at the European Parliament in Brussels, where Harry delivered a keynote speech calling for greater protection for children online.
Kelsey praises Harry's speech but disputes royal label
Kelsey acknowledged that Harry had performed well during his address, saying: "Watching Harry get a little bit emotional there was the first time I felt anything for him in about seven years." He added: "I take that he cares about his children and other children, and all his work with charities in southern Africa and all his work with veterans here has been applaudable. Absolutely. He's done some good work."
However, Kelsey disputed the "concept" that Meghan and Harry are "non-working royals," suggesting the British public were essentially being "conned." He said: "We are now at a stage where we are discussing on a very successful national TV programme about these two people at the European Parliament giving a speech to international politicians and, on the other hand, we are being told, the public, that they are non-working royals."
Hosts push back on funding argument
Host Alexis Conran fired back: "They're not given public funds, they're not costing the taxpayer anything." Kelsey replied: "They're giving speeches at the European Parliament to politicians, trying to get a message across, which they care passionately about…"
Conran then pointed out: "So, you are inspired by them!" Kelsey reiterated his position, saying: "I think the question you're asking… she didn't speak for reasons I can understand about her father recently, and he clearly cares very much about this subject, but I just don't buy the fact that we've got two members of the royal family who aren't working."
Conran responded: "I'm confused by what you're trying to say. Are you trying to say that they're gaming this for their own personal satisfaction? They're shedding light on an issue that's really important. I think we can all get behind that: the damage that social media does to very young kids. They're shedding light on and exposing that. That's a positive thing."
Storm Huntley intervenes with compromise
Kelsey clarified: "I've got no problem with what they're talking about. They just can't tell us that they're not working royals."
Co-host Storm Huntley then reasoned: "The way that you can separate it, technically, is that they are not taking public funds to do this work. They're actually doing this off their own back, unlike the royals. So there is an argument to be made that actually they're doing the royals a service here and a benefit, and the royals might need them."
Kelsey pointed out: "They are able to do a lot of things that the Royals cannot do commercially because they are not working royals. They have enormous deals with Netflix, different TV companies that have brought in multi-millions over the last few years. They have the ability to do that, so I'm not surprised that they are doing it; I'm just very much surprised by this whole concept."
He added: "Their arrangement just all seems to be from the early 2020s. 'We are going to pull back, and we realise we went too far. We're sorry. We don't want to say sorry, but you know what? We're gonna try and make amends, and somehow, please let us back in'."
