And according to royal expert and historian Dr Tessa Dunlop, this could open the doorway to healing.
She told the Mirror: “This is the Princess of Wales’s hour, her pain, her health. But the messages from many of Kate and William’s family are a reminder of cancer’s long reach. The King’s deep love and pride shone through in his message for his ‘beloved’ daughter-in-law.
“Kate’s brother, James’s reminder of past mountains they have climbed was another lump-in-the-throat moment. And then of course there was Harry and Meghan, who wrote: ‘We wish health and healing for Kate and the family, and hope they are able to do so privately and in peace’.
“Immediately the internet naysayer jumped on this message with accusations of hypocrisy and anger, wishing they would ‘just shut up’. The inference was the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had no right to express sympathy given previous criticism Harry and Meghan have lobbed in the Princes and Princess of Wales’s direction.
“This is a predictably unforgiving, naïve approach to family relations. Sibling arguments and tensions are as old as life itself, but when the chips are down – when cancer comes knocking – that is when we remember what really matters. Harry is no different from the rest of us in that respect.”
And Tessa added that Harry will be “desperately sorry” for both his brother and sister-in-law. She explained: “The Duke of Sussex is a man in tune with his emotions, a man who grew up from the age of 12 without a mother. He knows this isn’t about him, it’s about Kate and the gravity of her condition. He will feel desperately sorry and worried for his brother and sister-in-law, and yes, probably regretful too.
“Right now Harry (and to an extent Meghan) will be wrestling with all sorts of conflicting emotions: guilt, love, even loneliness, miles from their British family.
“The Duke will need space to come to terms with what is a massive shift in priorities on the other side of the Atlantic, in a family that he ultimately loves, but has been estranged from. This is a time for healing. Apparently, there has been private contact between the brothers and sisters-in-law which is a good sign. Ultimately they need each other. Our royal family is stronger together.”
