The rift between the Sussexes and the royal family 'remains as great as ever'

The long-running feud between the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and the royal family was the "the elephant in the room" during their recent television interview, a royal historian believes.

Prince Harry and Meghan spoke with Sunday Morning, on US television channel CBS, to to launch the Parents' Network, an online "global community" to support "parents whose children have suffered from the harmful effects of social media".

The network follows a pilot program in 2023 by the Archewell Foundation, described as a "free-to-access peer-support network, complete with comprehensive advice and resources provided by a licensed facilitator, which offers invaluable support to those in need".

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The sit-down interview was filmed in Santa Barbara, where the couple live, a week earlier and aired on Meghan's 43rd birthday.

It was Prince Harry and Meghan's first major television interview since their controversial sit-down with Oprah Winfrey in 2021.

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Speaking to Winfrey a year after leaving their roles as working members of the royal family, Harry and Meghan made a number of startling allegations against the Firm.

This time, their approach on American television was vastly different, largely avoiding any mention of the monarchy.

Royal expert and historian Dr Tessa Dunlop believes this was evidence of the tension that remains between King and his son.

"Despite all their well-intentioned good works and conciliatory talk in other fields, the chasm between the Sussexes and the British royals remains as great as ever," Dr Dunlop told The Mirror.

"Until there is genuine open contact between the House of Windsor and the Sussexes, Harry and Meghan's pain thesis will continue to wound, undermining credibility on both sides."

On Sunday, it was also announced that Prince Harry and Meghan would be visiting Colombia before November.

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That's despite Prince Harry recently telling another a documentary on tabloid phone hacking that it would be too dangerous to bring Meghan back to the UK.

"Whether it's a knife or acid, whatever it is, and these are things that are of genuine concern for me," Harry told ITV's Tabloids on Trial.

"It's one of the reasons why I won't bring my wife back to this country."

Dr Dunlop says their coming visit to Colombia was in direct "opposition" to the royal family's brand.

The Sussexes, who visited Nigeria earlier this year, are to travel to the South American country at the invitation of its vice president.

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"In the style of their trip to Nigeria, soon Harry and Meghan will take off for Colombia, all in the name of service," Dr Dunlop said.

"And rather than being a service that compliments the philanthropic brand the British royal family established, it will be in opposition to it.

"If only both parties could remember they are stronger together. That doesn't mean a reunited Harry and Meghan inside the royal fold, but public reconciliation and communication."

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