Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are “exploiting every chance” to avoid commenting on the recent health issues of two senior members of the Royal Family, a royal commentator has said.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have reportedly sent “get well messages” to King Charles and the Princess of Wales but have not addressed the topic publicly. Meanwhile, they made a surprise trip to Jamaica to attend a film premiere honouring Bob Marley.
While in the Caribbean country, Harry and Meghan were photographed with Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness at the screening of Bob Marley: One Love, which celebrates the late reggae singer’s life, in Kingston. Mr Holness is pushing ahead with plans to make Jamaica a republic.
Now, commentator Lady Colin Campbell has claimed that Harry and Meghan did not address the royals’ recent health scares publicly so they can “exploit every situation”. Speaking on GB News, Lady Campbell said: “All they needed to do was make some public declaration. But they are not going to, they can exploit every situation as long as they don’t make a public declaration. The whole thing stinks to high heaven.”
Royal commentator Phil Dampier added that while the Sussexes are probably “concerned” about health matters in the UK, there would have been “a certain sympathy for them” had they decided to make a public declaration. He said: “There might have been private contact. I’m sure they are worried.
“They haven’t made anything public and I think that is the contrast, they are enjoying themselves and probably went to the premiere via private jet. It does look like they are swanning about and enjoying themselves when there is real concern for many members of the Royal Family.”
While in Jamaica, Harry and Meghan also posed with the minister of legal and constitutional affairs, Marlene Malahoo Forte. Mrs Malahoo Forte told Sky News ahead of the King’s coronation last May that an “urgent” referendum could be held as early as 2024 to “sever ties” and remove Charles as Jamaica’s monarch.
“(Republicanism) is about us saying goodbye to a form of government that is linked to a painful past of colonialism and the transatlantic slave trade,” she said. Meghan, 42, wore a long, black A-line gown with gold earrings and had her hair in a slicked-back bun, while Harry, 39, was dressed in a dark suit and open-necked white shirt.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex wave as they leave Windsor Castle after their wedding in May 2018
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex wave as they leave Windsor Castle after their wedding in May 2018 ( Image: Getty Images)
The couple looked relaxed as they posed for photos with Paramount Pictures chief executive Brian Robbins at the Carib 5 cinema in the capital. Marley’s son Ziggy was also in attendance.
Mr Holness posted on X, formerly Twitter: “The premiere of the Bob Marley: One Love movie in Jamaica signifies a momentous occasion for our nation and the global community. Bob Marley’s ability to connect people through his music, transcending cultural and geographical boundaries, has made him a symbol of unity and resilience.
Harry travelled to Jamaica in 2012 representing his grandmother, the late Queen, during a celebratory Diamond Jubilee tour. The overseas trip was hailed a resounding success, with Harry sprinting with Olympic 100m champion Usain Bolt and dancing to Marley’s music in Kingston.
He showed off a talent for diplomacy by hugging and holding hands with then-Jamaican prime minister Portia Simpson-Miller just hours after she repeated her intention to hold a referendum to remove Elizabeth II as head of state. Meghan married her first husband, film producer Trevor Engelson, on a beach in Jamaica 2011, with the couple divorcing less than two years later. The former Suits star also wrote on her now-defunct lifestyle blog that her mother took her to visit the slums of Jamaica when she was 10 to teach her about the “harsh realities” of life.