Prince Harry wasn’t the only one to leave the US for the Netherlands, as Today‘s very own Hoda Kotb also flew there for an emotional heart to heart with the Duke of Sussex! (We don’t know why the US residents had to fly all the way to The Hague for an interview, when they more than likely could have arranged it in their home country, but we’re not mad about it!)
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Prince Harry’s interview with the Today co-host was often light-hearted as he spoke about his two-year-old son Archie’s “cheekiness,” as well as how Santa Barbara has welcomed him with “open arms,” and how his and Meghan’s life pretty much revolves around their son and ten-month-old daughter Lilibet, among other things.
However, things got a little deeper when Kotb asked him about his family in the UK, and the Duke seemed visibly emotional when talking about his grandmother, The Queen, who celebrated her 96th birthday just yesterday.
The 37-year-old royal said that he enjoyed the secret trip he and Meghan Markle took to see The Queen in Windsor Castle on Thursday, April 14th, before flying to the Netherlands for the Invictus Games. He told Kotb for NBC’s Today Show that “It was really nice to catch up with her.” “Being with her, it was great. It was so nice to see her… she’s on great form,” he continued, which many people who have been worried about the British Monarch’s health in recent months would have been delighted to hear. He then added: “She’s always got such a great sense of humor with me and I’m just making sure she’s protected and got the right people around her.”
Naturally, Prince Harry’s comments about Her Majesty being “protected” haven’t landed well with the royals, as insiders have said that they found them “unhelpful.” A senior royal household figure reportedly said: “The fact that the Duke of Sussex is once again talking on American television about his private meetings is unhelpful. For there to be constructive dialogue between all parties going forward there must be discretion. Only then can there be a lasting trust.”
BBC News Royal Correspondent Sean Coughlan also weighed in, saying: "'Protected' from what? The short clip from US television doesn't reveal what Prince Harry was 'making sure' the Queen was protected from. Problems with her health? Bad advice? But his comments, following his flying visit to the UK, are likely to raise some eyebrows and maybe even some hackles among those already looking after The Queen in Windsor Castle. There's a danger of overanalyzing a few seconds of small talk - and maybe more will be explained in the full interview later."
He added: "But what did seem clear is that Prince Harry sees his future as being in the United States, at least for the time being. Never mind the royal genes, it's jeans and sunshine for now. With a young family now growing up in California, it has the feel of putting down roots."
