Prince Harry mentioning the King and Princess Kate in his award show acceptance speech would not have been appropriate, a royal commentator has said.
The Talk panel on Talk TV discussed the Sussexes having contacted the royal family to offer their support after they were told about Kate and the King’s health.
Princess Kate is currently recovering from abdominal surgery and King Charles is having a procedure to treat an enlarged prostate.
Prince Harry failed to mention them during a four-minute speech he gave at the Living Legends of Aviation Awards Show in Los Angeles on Friday, sparking anger.
When asked what he’d have preferred Harry to do, broadcaster Ian Collins said: “At the very end, I’d have said, ‘I’d like to say a very big thank you and I hope my father and Kate are both doing well’. It would’ve been a lovely thing to do.”
However, journalist Emma Woolf disagreed, saying: “You’re expecting him to mention his father’s enlarged prostate at an awards ceremony?
“Come on. They cannot win. I don’t think it would have been appropriate and he would have been criticised.
Journalist JJ Anisiobi echoed this, saying: “That would have been terrible. People would say he’s only mentioned Kate and Charles so he can get more publicity for himself at this award ceremony. That’s what people would have said, inevitably.”
Broadcaster Esther Krakue also agreed, adding: “Or they’d say he was trying to make it seem like he’s the one who’s a good guy, always reaching out, trying to bring his family together. It wouldn’t have been necessary.”
Emma Woolf said: “If they had put out a Tweet, we would have all said, ‘Oh look at them publicly putting it out, sharing it’.
“Do you remember when he shared a private phone call with his father and we all said, ‘Why can’t you just make a phone call to your father and not tell us all about it?'”
Presenter James Max said: “Depending on how serious it is and given that they comment on everything else on social media, I would have thought they’d say, ‘Wishing so and so well’.
“But I do agree there is a potential negative so on this occasion I don’t have anything negative to say about Harry and Meghan.”
JJ Anisiobi disagreed, saying: “They really don’t (comment on everything), they use social media for their charity work and that’s about it.”
