Prince Charles Appears To Distance Himself From Meghan And Harry With Latest Royal Engagement
Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, opened Meta's new office in London on March 31. The royal couple were given a tour of the space and attended the company's London Social Good Fair. Here, they met representatives from organizations across the country, including The Prince's Trust, Girls Rising, and Cook For Good, per their official Twitter.
Per a press release (via Newsweek), the couple was also set to "hear from the Meta team about the work being done to support the people of Ukraine," while Camilla was scheduled to "meet Facebook Group admins who use the platform to support parents and families in their communities."
Their appearance comes as somewhat of a surprise, though, as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were some of the most influential voices backing the boycott of Facebook in 2020. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were committed in their support of the Stop Hate for Profit campaign, which saw companies boycott the social media site following George Floyd's murder.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were part of the 2020 Facebook boycott
A source told Town & Country that the couple spoke with CEOs and business leaders to "stand in solidarity with a coalition of civil and racial justice groups ... which are calling for structural changes to our online world."
As Newsweek notes, these organizations were an important part of the Stop Hate for Profit campaign, with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) applauding Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's support on the matter. "We are grateful for the leadership of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in recognizing the importance of solidarity in this moment," the organization wrote on Twitter. "Your commitment to truth, justice, and equality are appreciated."
The source added that the royal couple is pushing for more ethical tech industry, saying that they believe social media platforms and other online networks are in need of updating.
This could be Prince Charles' reason for attending the Meta opening
While Meta did revamp their platform following the boycott, it wasn't as much as other social media sites like YouTube, Twitter, TikTok, and Reddit according to Forbes. With that in mind, people may be surprised at Prince Charles' appearance at the Meta headquarters.
Neither the Prince of Wales nor the Duke of Sussex has commented on the matter, but the appearance came after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were noticeably absent from the memorial of Prince Philip at Westminster Abbey on March 29. While no official reason was given as to why Sky News noted that the royal is currently pursuing a "legal challenge against the Home Office" over personal security.
Described as a "pointed snub" on Harry's part by a royal expert (via Express), they pointed out that "he has upset too many people too many times" adding that "it is something he will live to regret."