The Royal Family has reportedly adopted a succinct and carefully measured response whenever the names of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are mentioned. According to former Tory MP and podcaster Gyles Brandreth, the couple’s names rarely come up in royal circles these days. However, when they do, the reaction from courtiers and family members is both swift and understated.

Brandreth, who has long been connected with the inner workings of the British monarchy, revealed that the royal approach to discussing the Duke and Duchess of Sussex is to steer the conversation away from them as quickly as possible. He mentioned that when avoidance isn’t an option, the couple is obliquely referred to as “persons who live overseas.”

“When the subject of Harry and Meghan does come up, courtiers flinch almost imperceptibly,” Brandreth noted. He added that any mention of the Sussexes to other members of the Royal Family is met with a brief smile and the simple phrase, “We wish them all the best.” This six-word response seems to encapsulate the Royal Family’s strategy of maintaining decorum while subtly sidestepping any potentially uncomfortable discussions about the couple who once occupied a prominent place within the monarchy.

This restrained approach appears to reflect a broader strategy within the Royal Family to “blank out anything unpleasant or uncomfortable,” as author Craig Brown suggested in his book Voyage Around the Queen. Brown noted that this tactic has become more pronounced since Harry and Meghan’s high-profile departure from royal duties in 2020 and their subsequent move to Montecito, California.

The couple’s decision to step back from their roles as senior royals has led to a strained relationship with the rest of the Royal Family. The rift deepened following a series of high-profile interviews, a Netflix series, and the publication of Prince Harry’s memoir Spare, in which he aired numerous grievances against his royal relatives.

Since their move to the United States, the Sussexes have made only a handful of visits to the UK, including a notable appearance for Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in 2022. Despite the physical distance, the emotional divide within the family appears to remain significant. Prince Harry himself has admitted that he has had little contact with his brother, Prince William, with insiders claiming that the two have not spoken since the funeral.

As the Royal Family continues to navigate the complexities of this very public estrangement, their carefully chosen words — or lack thereof — offer a glimpse into how they are managing the ongoing tension behind the scenes.