In the corridors of Buckingham Palace, a chilling silence has fallen over the names of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
It’s not that they’re forgotten – far from it.
Instead, they’ve become the royal family’s equivalent of Voldemort: those who must not be named.
This intriguing revelation comes from Craig Brown’s forthcoming book, “A Voyage Around the Queen,” set to hit shelves tomorrow.
Brown, a seasoned royal author, paints a picture of a family adept at “blanking out anything unpleasant or uncomfortable,” as noted by David Albert Charles Armstrong-Jones, the second Earl of Snowdon.
But how does one refer to two of the most famous faces in the world without actually mentioning them?
Well, it seems the palace has developed a rather frosty workaround.
According to broadcaster Gyles Brandreth, when the Duke and Duchess of Sussex do come up in conversation, they’re obliquely referred to as “persons who live overseas.”
Talk about a royal cold shoulder!
It’s a far cry from the days when Harry and Meghan were working royals, complete with affectionate code names from their security detail.
Back then, they were “DS” (for Duke and Duchess of Sussex), or more creatively, David Stevens and Davina Scott.
Their counterparts, William and Kate, had similar monikers: Danny Collins and Daphne Clark.
Oh, how times have changed!
Now, when the Sussexes’ names are uttered in royal circles, Brandreth claims that courtiers “flinch almost imperceptibly and change the subject.”
It’s like a game of royal hot potato, with Harry and Meghan’s names being the scalding spuds no one wants to handle.
But what about other family members?
Surely, they must have more to say about their estranged relatives? Apparently not.
Brandreth suggests that when pressed, they simply offer a tight-lipped smile and a generic “We wish them all the best” before swiftly moving on.
It’s the royal equivalent of leaving someone on read.
This icy treatment is a stark contrast to the couple’s high-profile status outside the palace walls.
While they may be persona non grata within the royal family, Harry and Meghan continue to make headlines and spark debates around the world.
It’s as if they exist in two parallel universes: one where they’re global celebrities, and another where they’re barely acknowledged.
The situation begs the question: How long can this silent treatment last?
With Harry’s bombshell memoir “Spare” and the couple’s Netflix documentary still fresh in the public’s mind, it seems unlikely that the royal family can maintain this approach indefinitely.
Perhaps this collective cold shoulder is the family’s way of processing the dramatic events of the past few years.
Or maybe it’s a strategic move to avoid adding fuel to the media fire that often surrounds the Sussexes.
Whatever the reason, it’s clear that the wounds from their royal exit are still far from healed.
As we await the release of Brown’s book, one can’t help but wonder what other revelations it might contain about life behind the palace gates.
Will we learn of more creative ways the royals avoid mentioning Harry and Meghan?
Or perhaps we’ll discover that this silent treatment is merely the tip of the iceberg in a sea of royal family dynamics.
In the end, this new insight into the royal family’s coping mechanisms serves as a reminder that even those born into extraordinary privilege are not immune to family drama.
They just have more elaborate ways of dealing with it.
As for Harry and Meghan, being reduced to “persons who live overseas” might sting, but something tells me they’re not losing too much sleep over it in their Californian mansion.
