LIZ JONES: King Charles and William, give Harry and Meghan the best anniversary gift they could imagine: Welcome the Firm’s biggest assets back into the fold

This was the headline, four months before Meghan married Harry: ‘Why I’m proud to be a meghanomaniac… we need some Markle sparkle!’

Let’s quote the piece: ‘The first time I knew I was in love was when Meghan used the term ‘my rescue pups’ on national primetime TV to describe her beloved dogs Guy and Bogart… Meghan Markle, my goodness, even her initials are delicious: MMMMMM!’

The article in YOU Magazine continues about Harry: ‘My, has he risen in our estimation! He has swelled in stature, eclipsing even his brother!, to become one half of a super couple that we hope will eclipse even George and Amal. He has chosen a woman who has read every tome ever written by Toni Morrison. That’s class.’

I wrote that piece. And this one, on their wedding day – May 19, 2018 – in the email: ‘You look great.’ Harry said as he looked up to drink in his bride. He repeated what every woman in the country shouted at the screen as Meghan emerged from her Rolls-Royce. The dress is simple: who needs embellishments when you have that face?’

“You look amazing,” Harry said as he looked up to drink in his bride. Above: Meghan and Harry in St George’s Chapel on their wedding day

I had cooled off a bit in 2019, as any marriage does. It was Bananagate, when Meghan, still a working Royal, visited sex workers in Bristol and scribbled positive mantras on fruit. “Did she sign her name?” I wrote. ‘Would she get ink over the £1,500 Oscar de la Renta? No, Meghan. These women are not ‘loved’, they are not ‘special’. I would be more in admiration if, when she finishes renovating that ‘little house’ in Windsor… she would open its doors as a sanctuary instead. That would show these women that they are loved. That would prove they are special.” Ouch!

Meghan and Harry are celebrating their sixth wedding anniversary today, and boy, have times and public opinion changed! Among the millions of published words that jump off the page: “I’m not well,” “Quiet or quiet?”, “Dog box,” “Near-catastrophic chase,” “We are not a racist family.” And so forth. Note that these are just statements from the royal family themselves, aside from America’s honorary queen, Oprah, who provided a perfect O for surprise when Meghan accused the royal family of speculating about Archie’s skin color.

I’ve had a ringside seat and seen how opinion of the couple has plummeted in the press (and especially on social media). I have written many pieces, trying to support her, swimming against a current that resembles the now polluted sea in Devon. In one of my most recent statements, I expressed my genuine concern that the comments about X could lead to self-harm or even suicide. How any human being, if they read just a snippet of Meghan’s online abuse, could survive such attacks is beyond me. The comments are unrepeatable, but the most nonsensical comments include highlighting, with arrows, the difference in the color of Meghan’s face compared to her scalp.

Of course, Meghan could be tone-deaf: During the recent non-royal visit to Nigeria, she wore a Cartier watch and backless, almost frontless dresses. It looked like she was turning away from a woman in the middle of a conversation. Cheeky!

The crowds and sunshine made the happy couple beam as they greeted the crowd

The crowds turned up in their thousands to witness this glorious day. Above: Meghan arrives for the ceremony

And Harry? Well, he never quite turned into George Clooney, a kind of wandering elder statesman with added testosterone (Harry still has his fans online; one post featured a video of him taking off, in full combat gear, in his Apache helicopter to fighting, you You know, the real Taliban, in addition to last week’s images of William, in a suit and tie, stood NEXT to a helicopter and received yet another gift (Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps – from his dear old father). William then of course got on the plane and flew away, although that is a minor detail for Harry’s fans.

But today, whose team am I on? The past six years have been a rollercoaster, a series of disappointments and glimmers of hope. But I have to reveal it (and I know I’ll get a barrage of abuse now; after my piece begging people to stop bullying Meghan, there was a flood of posts on I have ‘no moral compass’ and ‘a former bankrupt’) that the sight of Harry in St Paul’s, attending the service to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games, made me side with him chose, despite the fact that he has often made himself look like a cash cow being roughly pulled by a ring through his nose.

The sight of Harry at St Paul’s, attending the service to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games, made me side with him

Harry smiled and blew kisses to his ‘loyal’ blood family, the Spencers. Above: Harry hugs his uncle Earl Spencer at St Paul’s

Meghan may be tone deaf: During recent non-royal visit to Nigeria, she wore a Cartier watch and backless, almost frontless dresses

At the same time as Prince Harry’s service, King Charles held a garden party at Buckingham Palace

Harry cut an elegant figure as he climbed the stairs in a perfectly fitted suit. He smiled and blew kisses to his loyal ‘blood family’, the Spencers. What a happy, handsome and boisterous couple they are; a family, not a company. While at the same time, further down the road, King Charles was hosting another somber garden party (along with the Duke of Edinburgh and the Duchess of Gloucester), to which we lowly subjects who cannot afford hats were not invited.

No wonder Meghan landed dragonfly-like at Heathrow on her way to Africa.

The royal family, without Catherine, has never looked so old, tired and, yes, quite frankly, boring, despite Camilla trying her best to be stoic and uncomplaining. I’m reminded, not in a good way, of the quote from Bridget Jones’s Diary, spoken by purple-faced Julian: ‘The earrings are just over an inch in size, in beautiful faux gold. The exact replica of the clothing worn by Her Royal Highness, The Duchess of Kent at Wimbledon in 1993.’

These satellite royals are literally a punchline.

Bringing in Beatrice to inject some glamor and youth won’t help. We are not interested! Charles and William, be the bigger men. Give Harry and Meghan the best anniversary gift they can imagine. Welcome the company’s greatest assets back into the fold.