Prince Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy has shed light on his views about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, expressing his empathy for the Duke of Sussex while criticizing the public airing of familial grievances.
Prince Harry, recognized as a clever individual by the Italian prince, was noted to have experienced significant hardship from media scrutiny from a young age, especially following the death of his mother, Princess Diana. Filiberto spoke with Fox News Digital about the difficulties Harry faced, suggesting that such struggles might have influenced the Duke's decision to renounce royal responsibilities and relocate to the U.S with his family.
Despite this understanding, Filiberto expressed melancholy at witnessing Harry in solitude during the coronation of King Charles III on May 6, where the Duke's wife Meghan Markle was absent, staying in California with their two children, Prince Archie, 4, and Princess Lilibet, 2.
Filiberto felt a pang of sorrow observing the lone figure of the Duke seated distantly in the third row from the immediate family. The Duke was flanked by other non-working royal members like Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice, while his brother, Prince William, Kate Middleton, and their children were in the front row.
While acknowledging Harry's estrangement from the royal family, Filiberto stressed that Harry is still the son of the King of England and should not have been treated differently. He empathized with the Duke's situation, being familiar with the pressures of royal life.
However, Filiberto also expressed his disagreement with Harry's public airing of royal disputes, opining that "private matters should stay private in families."
Since their departure from royal duties and subsequent move to the U.S in 2020, the Sussexes have been vocal about their royal experience, notably in a revelatory interview with Oprah Winfrey in March 2021, a Netflix docuseries aired in December 2022, and Prince Harry's tell-all memoir, "Spare," published on January 10, 2023.
Despite his disagreement with the Sussexes' handling of family affairs, Filiberto stated that he isn't one to pass judgement and accepts everyone as they are. He admitted his own deviations from protocol and expressed a desire for happiness and tranquillity for the Sussexes in their new life.
In a conversation about his own plans to relinquish his claim to the throne for his daughter, Princess Vittoria, Filiberto shared these thoughts on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Princess Vittoria is presently studying political science and art history in the U.K.
