Wearing a dress coat, red sash and festooned with military medals, King Charles III walked alongside the President of Germany to lead the chief guests into Wednesday night’s state banquet at Windsor Castle. On the gallery of St George’s Hall, the orchestra played the national anthem, and then, in total silence, the King and the President sat down, followed by the 160 guests, for a dinner of smoked trout tartlet, partridge wrapped in puff pastry and baked Alaska.
But first. A roll of drums, and the King stood up to welcome his guests in credible German. You could even imagine that our King had German heritage going back generations as he greeted the President. He said the visit to “Schloss Windsor” was a mark of “die besondere Freundschaft die unsere Länder verbindet” (a very special friendship that binds our two nations).
He went on to make jokes about football – borrowing, but not crediting, Gary Lineker’s description of the game as one “where 11 people play 11 people, and then, in the end, the Germans win” – and about our respective senses of humour – borrowing, but again not crediting, Bob Monkhouse, in saying that “British humour is no laughing matter”.
But there was purpose and politics in the King’s speech, too. Authorised by the Foreign Office, he encouraged the UK and Germany to stand together on Ukraine, and “against Russian aggression”. It was an extremely effective demonstration of relevance, particularly to those who doubt the monarchy’s place in an era when global diplomacy seems increasingly to be the province of commercial interests, deal-makers and grifters.
Defenders of the Royal Family talk about the “soft power” they wield through the magnetic appeal of their constitutional traditions. But there was nothing soft about Wednesday night’s event. This was pomp and circumstance writ large. This was a hard-as-nails, tough-as-teak, cast-iron example of the influence of the monarchy in helping to shape the world order, a night full of meaning and rich with historical import.
Meanwhile, 3,500 miles away in a TV studio in New York, the diffusion line of Brand Windsor was proving equally effective at winning hearts and mind. Prince Harry may no longer be a central item in the Royal Collection, but those in charge of the Firm’s image will have watched his appearance on Stephen Colbert’s late-night talk show with a great deal of interest.
Harry has already had his moment on Colbert when promoting his book Spare – inducing chants of “Ha-rry, Ha-rry” from a screaming, ecstatic audience – and here he was again, making a surprise appearance, doing a sketch with the host in which Harry said he was there to audition for the role of “Gingerbread Prince saves Christmas in Nebraska”.
He was as natural on late-night telly as his father was among the cummerbunds and the crystal chandeliers at Windsor. And Harry, also, showed that he was au courant with the affairs of the moment. When Colbert suggested that America wasn’t obsessed with royalty, Harry responded: “Really? I heard you elected a King.” (This was a satirical reference to Donald Trump’s social media post in which, referring to himself, he posted “Long Live the King”.)
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Harry then went on to poke fun at Colbert’s network, CBS, whose parent company Paramount recently paid the Trump administration $16m (£12m) to settle a dispute over the editing of an interview with Kamala Harris before the last election. Harry said he would do anything to get the role as a Hallmark Prince. “I’ll record a self-tape,” he said. “I’ll fly myself to an audition, settle a baseless lawsuit with the White House – all the things you people in TV do.” Ouch. Harry was less Gingerbread Prince, more Ian Hislop.
But my point is this. If those who seek to shape the Royal Family’s image and commercial appeal, and who talk about “Brand Windsor” and “The Firm”, want to succeed in a multi-media landscape, they would do well to put their arms around Harry again.
Like all the world’s great brands, the Windsors need to extend their relevance across all demographics, particularly a younger one. Harry can do that by speaking to an audience that is deaf to the stentorian tones of speeches at Windsor Castle. He can speak the language of TikTok as confidently as King Charles can speak German. I guarantee there will be those in power who recognise this, and will be keenly anticipating the day when Prince Harry is welcomed back into the fold.
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