‘Unwritten Rule’ Broken: Meghan and Harry’s Bold Message Sets Royal Protocol Ablaze!

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were criticised by a royal expert after they released a new video showcasing their best moments of 2024, on the same day that Princess Kate and the rest of the royals carried out engagements for the state visit of the Amir of Qatar.

The Princess of Wales delighted royal fans as she stepped out in London alongside her husband, Prince William, for a day of engagements with the Amir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and his wife, Sheikha Jawaher bint Hamad bin Suhaim Al Thani, in what was the first time she held that role since her cancer diagnosis was announced earlier this year.

Meanwhile, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s charity, the Archewell Foundation, released its annual impact report detailing the couple’s philanthropic efforts throughout the year.

Alongside the report, Archwell released a minute and twenty-second-long video showing some of the couple’s most poignant moments during public and private engagements in 2024.

But a royal expert blasted the timing of the video’s release and said it broke an “unwritten” royal rule, which sent a message that was “far from friendly”.

Veteran royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told Express.co.uk: “Harry and Meghan have never subscribed to the unwritten rule that, when in the Royal Family, you should not share the spotlight when it should be on other royals.

“However, it only makes sense that if a royal is involved with a big event, they should not face competition.

“Media coverage is obviously pivotal to whatever trips, charitable events and anniversaries members of the Royal Family are involved in. This simply reflects today’s world.”

“Catherine has only attended a very few royal events this year, as she has bravely battled cancer. These are Trooping the Colour, the Wimbledon Men’s Finals, a visit to Southport after the terrible murders, consecutive appearances at the Remembrance Day Concert and on Remembrance Sunday and the greeting of the Amir of Qatar and his wife at the start of their state visit yesterday.”

Mr Fitzwilliams criticised the Sussex couple and said that it was “surely not a day to release material” which could “compete for coverage” and branded their move “quite extraordinary”, claiming that it sent a message which was “far from friendly”.

He explained: “This was surely not a day to release material which would compete for coverage in a world, where interest in royal matters is often obsessive.

“The Sussexes know perfectly well that there is intense media interest in everything they do.

“However, it is quite extraordinary that they chose yesterday to make news and release this video together with the Archewell Foundation’s accounts. They are, after all, still members of the Royal Family, even though they caused the rift in it.

“At present, given that the king and Catherine are recovering from cancer, they cannot be critical. However, the timing of today’s release sends a message which is far from friendly.”