Prince Harry 'suffering' following exit, but 'private matters should stay private in families': Italian prince
Prince Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy reflects on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's decision to step back as senior royals, as well as King Charles III becoming Britain's reigning monarch following Queen Elizabeth II's death.
Prince Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy believes that Prince Harry is "suffering" following his royal exit.
The Duke of Sussex, the younger son of King Charles III, and his wife Meghan Markle married in 2018 at Windsor Castle. Despite a fairy tale wedding that hinted at a happily ever after, the couple stepped down as working royals in 2020. At the time, they cited what they described as the unbearable intrusions and racist attitudes of British tabloids.
Harry’s fury at the media has been building for years. He blames an overly aggressive press for the death of his mother, Princess Diana. The Princess of Wales passed away in 1997 from injuries she sustained in a Paris car crash. At the time, the 36-year-old was being chased by paparazzi. Harry, 38, has also accused the media of hounding Markle, 41, a former American actress.
"I don’t like to criticize," Filiberto told Fox News Digital. "And you know, they did their choice. Harry is a very intelligent young man. He suffered a lot [from] the media attention when he was young. Then, when his mother died, perhaps at a certain point he wanted to live another life, and he left with his wife… to America."
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back as senior royals in 2020. (Getty Images)
"I felt a bit sad when I saw him at the coronation of King Charles arriving alone… because he’s still the son of the king of England," the 50-year-old shared. "[But] I think private matters should stay private in families."
The couple has aired their grievances since moving to California. In 2021, they sat for a two-hour interview with Oprah Winfrey that was viewed by nearly 50 million people globally. That year, Harry also spoke of his struggles being in the public eye for the Apple TV+ docuseries "The Me You Can’t See," which showed him in a therapy session.
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Meghan Markle cried while sitting beside Prince Harry in a trailer for their Netflix docuseries. (Netflix)
In late 2022, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex launched a six-part Netflix docuseries that detailed their experiences leading to their decision to step back as senior royals. And in January of this year, Harry’s explosive memoir "Spare" was published. The book exposed deeply personal details about Harry and the royal family, often in eyebrow-raising detail.
Prince Harry's memoir "Spare" quickly became a bestseller. (Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)
Recently, Harry was at London's High Court. He is suing the publisher of the Daily Mirror for allegedly using unlawful techniques "on an industrial scale" to score front-page scoops on his life. The case against Mirror Group is the first of the prince’s several lawsuits against the media to go to trial. It is one of three publishers he alleged unlawfully snooped on him for stories about the royal family.
It is believed Harry stayed at Frogmore Cottage, the couple’s former U.K. home. In March, a spokesperson for the couple confirmed that they were asked to vacate the residence.
Previously, Harry attended his father’s coronation on May 6. However, he traveled to the airport just hours after the ceremony and immediately headed back to the States. The transatlantic trip is a journey of more than 5,400 miles, or about an 11-hour nonstop flight.
Prince Harry attended his father's coronation ceremony without Meghan Markle. The Duchess of Sussex stayed behind in California with the couple's two young children. (Ben Stansall/Getty Images)
Several days after, a rep for the couple said they had been pursued by photographers in a "near catastrophic car chase" through the streets of New York City. The duke and duchess, along with Markle’s mother, Doria Ragland, were in Manhattan for the Ms. Foundation Awards.
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In a candid interview given to Oprah Winfrey in 2021, Meghan Markle alleged remarks regarding her son Archie's skin color were made by the inner circle of the royal family. (Harpo Productions)
Photographers who were involved confirmed they followed the couple for miles over an extended period but described it as a low-speed affair. A photo agency later contended it was the couple's security guards who acted recklessly.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams condemned the paparazzi chasing them as "reckless and irresponsible." Police said the pursuit was relatively short and led to no injuries, collisions or arrests and warranted no further investigation. The cab driver who drove them from the police station said he instantly recognized his passengers and that paparazzi "were following us the whole time," though he said he wouldn’t call it a chase.
Meghan Markle talked of service prior to the reported car chase in New York City. (Kevin Mazur/Astrid Stawiarz)
Filiberto said that while Harry may have desired to break away from the constraints of royal life, it must weigh heavily on him to be isolated from the only upbringing he’s ever known.
"I’m sure he’s suffering a lot about what is happening," said Filiberto. "… You grew up to be like this. But you know, it’s [their] choice and God bless them. And I hope they will have a wonderful life."
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Prince Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy attends the launch of his book "Cera una Volta un Principe" on Nov. 19, 2009, in Milan, Italy. (Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images)
Filiberto can relate to the couple’s journey in trying to find their way as non-working royals. In the last 20 years, he’s attempted to win over a skeptical Italian public, who are strongly against a monarchy, by trying his hand at show business, The New York Times reported.
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Prince Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy and his dance partner Natalia Titova perform during the finale of "Strictly Come Dancing" on March 21, 2009, in Rome. (Elisabetta A. Villa/WireImage)
According to the outlet, Filiberto won Italy’s "Dancing With the Stars," nearly won its singing competition with a song he wrote, and appeared in a reality TV show where he tried out normal professions, the outlet reported. It noted that he has also been a star judge on a talent show, has been the face of pickled olives, and even appeared in an ad for an electronic cigarette.
Emanuele Filiberto performs during the 60th Sanremo Song Festival at the Ariston Theatre on Feb. 16, 2010, in San Remo, Italy. (Venturelli/WireImage)
In 2021, Deadline reported that Filiberto teamed up with Chinese filmmaker Yi Zhou for a biopic of his grandmother, Queen Marie-José.
His pursuits weren’t limited to television. He also launched a fresh pasta food truck in Southern California, which led to a restaurant in Westwood.
Prince Emanuele Filiberto hosts a VIP opening for Prince of Venice Restaurant in Westwood on Nov. 11, 2020. (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
He’s been married to French actress Clotilde Courau since 2003. They share two daughters.
"I know what it feels like to be part of a royal family, to have this blood that is in you," he reflected. "… I’m the last person to try to judge people because I also did things that were completely out of, let’s say, the protocol… I wanted to present myself to the Italian people. So I did television… I accept everyone and the only thing I wish is happiness [for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex] so that they could be able to [raise] their children in another life. And in the end, we’ll see who was right and who was not. But I think we shouldn’t criticize one decision, and we shouldn't criticize the other decision."
Filiberto noted that he greatly admires Harry’s father, King Charles III.
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King Charles III and Queen Camilla on the balcony of Buckingham Palace following the coronation on May 6, 2023, in London. (P van Katwijk/Getty Images)
"I had the pleasure to meet King Charles several times," he said. "I think he’s a wonderful man first than a king. He’s a man that was speaking about [the environment] much more before everyone else was speaking about it… He is an artistic person. And I think all of that combined will make him a fantastic king. And I totally support him. He is already doing an incredible job."
Prince Emanuele Filiberto and his wife, actress Clotilde Courau, attend the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on March 4, 2018, in Beverly Hills, California. (Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)
Filiberto admitted that it was the king who inspired him to make his most recent move. The prince confirmed to Fox News Digital that he plans to renounce his claim to the throne for his daughter, Princess Vittoria. The 19-year-old, who is currently studying political science and art history in the U.K., is also a fashion model with over 85,000 followers on Instagram.
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"I think King Charles would’ve been a fantastic king even 20 years ago with some modern ideas, new ideas," said Filiberto. "The queen was wonderful… and she did an incredible job. But he would’ve also been an incredible king [sooner]. I want to give my daughter… the opportunity to show what she can do before a certain age."
King Charles III took the throne after Queen Elizabeth II died on Sept. 8. (Chris Jackson)
Charles, 74, became king upon the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. Britain’s longest-reigning monarch passed away in September at age 96.
On Saturday, Charles celebrated his first Trooping the Colour in the U.K. as a reigning monarch. According to reports, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were not invited. It is believed they stayed in Montecito, California, where they reside with their two young children.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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