Royal expert claims frustration in palace over Harry and Meghan’s UK visits

A royal commentator has claimed there is “frustration” within Buckingham Palace over Prince Harry and Meghan's public appearances in Britain, arguing that their visits to charities resemble official royal engagements despite the couple no longer being working members of the royal family.

LONDON: A royal commentator has claimed there is “frustration” within Buckingham Palace over Prince Harry and Meghan’s public appearances in Britain, arguing that their visits to charities resemble official royal engagements despite the couple no longer being working members of the royal family.

Kinsey Schofield, host of the YouTube show Kinsey Schofield Unfiltered, made the comments to Fox News Digital ahead of Harry and Meghan’s visit to Nottingham on Thursday for a series of charitable engagements.

“Harry and Meghan are no longer working members of the royal family,” Schofield said, adding that King Charles III had recently reminded government officials that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were private citizens.

She argued that the couple appeared determined to recreate the public image of royal life without its official responsibilities.

“The charitable visits, the appearances, the photographers. It’s royal theatre without royal authority,” Schofield said.

She added that official royal engagements involved diplomacy and soft power, with working royals representing the monarch and serving the country’s interests. She accused Harry and Meghan of imitating the appearance of royal duties without their constitutional significance.

Harry and Meghan stepped back from their roles as working royals in 2020 and moved to the United States. They have since pursued charitable and other projects independently. Their visits to charities in Nottingham were not official engagements on behalf of the monarchy.

The city has particular significance for the couple: it was where they made their first joint public appearance after announcing their engagement in 2017.

On Thursday, the couple were greeted by well-wishers as they arrived at the Community Recording Studio, a charity that provides creative activities and support for young people. They stopped to greet members of the public before entering the venue.

Schofield’s remarks reflect her interpretation of the couple’s activities and do not, by themselves, establish the views of Buckingham Palace as a whole.