Harry or the palace? Either way, you fall into the royalist trap

I doubt last weekend’s angry and contrary ITV interview will restore Harry’s sliding ratings.

- Polly Toynbee

Must we, really? I’m afraid there is no avoiding the great crown soap opera as this finely crafted Prince Harry publicity spectacular engulfs the news. However nugatory the revelations about scenes of brotherly rivalry, beards and broken dog bowls, it’s no use pretending it hasn’t been happening or that the country isn’t dividing into Harryites and Williamists.

That interview landed as a neatly choreographed step in the ace publicity machine of Prince Harry’s publishers. After the 2021 Oprah interview, six episodes of the Netflix series, teasers for this week’s four TV interviews and the early leaking of his book, was there anything new for him to say or for us to think? Nothing, beyond the painful spectacle of his inchoate rage.

The palace was prepared for devastating revelations. Its worst fears had “not come to light”, suggesting it thought Harry had more lethal missiles to unleash.