Following a week packed with royal headlines, HELLO!'s Royal Editor Emily Nash sat down on A Right Royal Podcast with co-hosts Andrea Caamano and Emmy Griffiths to unpack Prince Harry's shock GQ interview, the glittering State Banquet for the Sultan of Oman at Windsor Castle - during which the Princess of Wales' curtsy in the rain went viral - plus the King, Queen and Prince William's poignant visit to Aberfan.
Scroll down to listen to the full podcast episode.
Prince Harry’s bombshell during the Oman State Visit
Q: You were at Windsor Castle covering the state visit of the Sultan of Oman when Prince Harry's GQ interview dropped. What was the reaction on the ground?
Emily Nash: "I was covering the state visit of the Sultan of Oman on Tuesday, and it all looked like it was running smoothly, and then right in the middle of it, we had another bombshell interview from Prince Harry. I actually was quite shocked because I had been under the impression that he wasn't going to be doing any more of these sit-down interviews where he went in-depth about personal matters.
"We'd just come out of the ceremonial welcome in the quadrangle at Windsor Castle. I'd gone out into Windsor town centre with some colleagues to sit and write and file what had happened that morning. Just as we were taking our seats, someone pointed out the fact that Harry had started talking again about his relationship with his family, this time in an interview with GQ Magazine.
"Harry's camp maintains that this wasn't deliberately timed. They weren't aware when it was coming out. It happened in the middle of a major diplomatic moment. This is a really, really important relationship. The royal family had put on all bells and whistles to make him feel welcome, to really oil the wheels of soft diplomacy. And then right in the middle of it, you have Harry talking about the fact that he wants to reconcile, but there are some people who do not want things to work out."
© Aaron Chown / POOL / AFP via Getty ImagesQ: Can a royal reconciliation actually happen while Harry continues to speak publicly in interviews?
Emily Nash: "His spokesman was forced to come out immediately and say that 'some people don't want it to work out' wasn't aimed at his brother. But obviously it was open to interpretation, because that's what people thought.
"As far as the other side are concerned, they're saying nothing. They're saying absolutely nothing, and they're letting duty do the talking. But there's no world in which I can see this reconciliation taking flight while he's still talking about it all so publicly.
"He talks about wanting to draw a line under the last six years. Now, my immediate thought was, 'Well, you might want to, but how do you know the rest of the family are ready to?' There's no sort of acknowledgement of all the things that have been said and done - the Oprah interview, the Netflix docuseries, Spare - that have hurt members of his family. Now, he might not feel that he has to apologise, but if you're trying to make amends with someone, surely the first thing you do is acknowledge that you've made mistakes, too."
King Charles' speech, generational continuity and Catherine's viral curtsy
Q: King Charles made a notable speech at the State Banquet. What stood out to you about his message?
Emily Nash: "The line that leapt out in his toast was one in which he spoke of the pride he has in his son, William, who is continuing on this centuries-old relationship by having formed a bond with the Crown Prince of Oman.
"That's something that we're increasingly seeing from William: his growth as a global statesman. He is taking on relationships that his grandmother started building, his father has continued building, and now he will take into the future. There was no shade thrown at Harry whatsoever, but this was really showing the continuity of monarchy, and the importance of William's future role. To quote the King: 'There can be few happier symbols of success than a living relationship being passed from one generation to the next'."
Q: The Princess of Wales generated massive global headlines during the state visit. What made her appearance so impactful?
Andrea Caamano: "Catherine's curtsy in the middle of the rain - I have to mention it because we put that up on our social media channels, and it's on 50 million views! Catherine gets the attention that no other royal in the world gets."
Emily Nash: "I think it's something we've seen her do many, many times before, and it's fascinating that people pick up on these specific moments. But I suppose it's not often that people see her doing it to a visiting royal, so she was curtsying actually for the Sultan of Oman.
"Her Elie Saab gown looked stunning, didn't it? It had that long flowing cape, and it had been altered to make it a bit more modest. She also wore the Lover's Knot Tiara, which was also a favourite of Diana, Princess of Wales, alongside a bracelet and earrings that belonged to the late Queen. It all comes back to this continuity."
© Alamy Stock PhotoHarry and Meghan's half-term plans
Q: It's half-term for the royal children in the UK. What do we know about how Prince Harry and Meghan are spending the break with Archie and Lilibet?
Emily Nash: "They're spending it privately as a family, as you can imagine. We're probably not going to find out a great deal, certainly not officially.
"There was some talk about them going back to the US, but I think they're more likely to have either stayed in the UK or gone to Portugal, where they have a holiday home. It's a chance for them to take stock of the last couple of months."
Emmy Griffiths: "Those kids are having a whirlwind, aren't they? First at one school, then they change to another school, and then they're barely there five minutes and they're having two weeks off!"
Emily Nash: "There's a lot happening! But yes, whether they are down in the Cotswolds or spending time in Europe, they'll be using this half-term break to recharge privately as a family before the next busy stretch heading into the winter."
Royal engagements: Aberfan and Catherine's secret outing
Q: King Charles and Prince William paid a moving visit to Aberfan in South Wales. Why does this connection remain so vital?
Emily Nash: "This was a really big deal in Wales. For anyone who is unfamiliar with the story, it goes back to 1966. There was a landslide caused by a coal tip on top of the mountain collapsing and it engulfed Pantglas Junior School and nearby homes, killing 144 people, 116 of whom were children. A whole generation was wiped out in moments.
"The late Queen continued throughout her lifetime to return there, and it's something that Charles has done as well over the years, and now William and Catherine are taking that on. William went back to the Memorial Garden where the late Queen planted a tree in 1997. When I spoke to one of the survivors, Gareth Jones, he told me how important it is for people there to know that their stories will continue."
© Getty ImagesQ: While she didn't join William in Wales, Catherine carried out engagements in Ipswich and Norfolk. What was thatabout?
Emily Nash: "She visited The Treehouse, which is one of East Anglia's Children's Hospices' outposts in Ipswich, meeting young people and bereaved families. She's been patron of this charity since 2012; it was one of the first that she took on.
"She also popped into their charity shop, Cafe 98, in Hoveton, in Norfolk, and helped sort some donations with volunteers. This job wasn't announced in advance. It just goes to show that whatever's going on behind the scenes, they are keeping their eye on the long game. They are going to be doing this job, William and Catherine, for the rest of their lives. They can't afford to change their approach for the sake of PR when they have to consider what things look like in 30 or 40 years' time."
© Andrew Parsons / Kensington PalaceWhat’s next for the monarchy
Q: What is coming up on your royal agenda over the next few weeks?
Emily Nash: "I will be joining the King for his visit to the Bahamas, Guyana, and Antigua and Barbuda, where he'll be joined by the Queen for CHOGM (Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting). This is going to be a really major event, and I think he's going to come up against a lot of challenges, including discussions surrounding historic slavery and colonialism.
"Also, the Royal Collection Trust has just announced a new exhibition of 500 years' worth of royal jewellery opening at the King's Gallery at Buckingham Palace next year. Two-thirds of the items will be on display for the first time ever, including the Diamond Diadem made for George IV's coronation - the crown everyone recognises from stamps and banknotes featuring the late Queen."
