Harry and Meghan Accused of Overshadowing Prince George’s Major Eton Milestone

Prince George’s first day at Eton College should have been a major moment for the future King. Instead, royal attention was pulled toward Prince Harry and Meghan Markle after their return to the UK and a pointed message from King Charles III.

Royal commentator Phil Dampier said the Sussexes’ latest developments had “overshadowed” George’s milestone, as the 13-year-old began his education at the prestigious boarding school on September 8.

Dampier also described the King’s recent letter concerning Harry and Meghan as a “warning shot”, arguing that it was intended to make the Palace’s position unmistakably clear.

A message to draw a line around the Sussexes

Harry, Meghan and their children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, made a surprise return to Britain around two weeks ago.

However, the King’s statement confirmed that the couple would continue to remain non-working members of the Royal Family.

According to Dampier, the letter was less about informing Harry and Meghan of a new decision and more about making the situation clear to the wider public.

“It’s really sending out a message – a warning shot across their bows,” he said, adding that the Palace was emphasising that “nothing has changed as far as they’re concerned.”

The royal commentator suggested that the clarification had become necessary because the Sussexes’ return could lead to renewed public appearances, charity work or commercial activities in Britain.

The distinction, he said, needed to be clear: any such activities would be carried out as private individuals rather than as representatives of the Royal Family.

Dampier also suggested that Harry, 41, and Meghan, 45, may not necessarily respond by keeping a low profile, claiming that they “like the drama.”

George’s big day caught in the middle

The timing made the situation particularly significant.

September 8 marked the fourth anniversary of the death of Queen Elizabeth II. It was also the day Prince George began his first day at Eton College.

As the second in line to the throne, George’s move to the prestigious school represented an important milestone in his life and in the future of the monarchy.

Yet instead of the focus remaining firmly on the young prince, headlines were dominated by Harry and Meghan’s return, the King’s letter and the continuing dispute surrounding their security arrangements.

Dampier argued that this is precisely the type of situation the Royal Family would be concerned about.

Why the Palace may be worried

“When we start to get a controversy over Harry and Meghan, it tends to make the front pages,” Dampier explained.

He pointed to the competing royal stories surrounding September 8, with George beginning at Eton and the anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s death occurring on the same day.

“We’ve got Prince George going to Eton today – his first day at Eton – and we’ve got the anniversary of the Queen’s death, and it’s overshadowing it all,” he said.

Dampier believes the latest developments illustrate an ongoing difficulty for the Royal Family: controversies involving the Sussexes can quickly dominate public attention, even when other significant royal events are taking place.

He argued that the situation could reinforce concerns within the Palace about how much attention Harry and Meghan might attract following their return to Britain.

The commentator concluded that the Sussexes needed to “rein it back” and become more “humble and cooperative.”

For Prince George, meanwhile, September 8 marked the beginning of an entirely different chapter — his first day at Eton and another step toward the extraordinary future that awaits the second-in-line to the throne.