The Archbishop of Canterbury says he hopes Harry and Meghan can “find a way forward” with the Royal Family, but said it has to be at the “right time”.
The rift between the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and the rest of the family worsened this month with the release of Harry and Meghan’s six-part Netflix documentary series, which chronicled the breakdown of relations and their departure for North America.
Key revelations from Prince Harry and Meghan’s Netflix series
Rev Justin Welby, who officiated at the couple’s wedding in 2018, was asked if he can see a way in which the Sussexes could could reconcile with the Royal Family.
“I can’t really comment on it because I married them and there’s sort of pastoral confidentiality,” he told BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme.
But he said reconciliation is certainly possible.
“There’s always a way forward, but it has to be at the right time,” he said.
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“And, as a Christian, I live in the belief that forgiveness comes from God through Jesus Christ and that God, particularly at this time of the year, God breaks into the world to open the way to forgiveness through the Christ channel.
“But the way we welcome that opportunity is different for everyone. And there has to be a right time.”
During the interview Mr Welby also said people get absolutely “crucified” nowadays when they make a mistake.
“I think also we’ve become very unforgiving. When people make a mistake, they’re absolutely, to use a phrase from my own world, crucified for it – sorry, I couldn’t think of another word.”
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Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace – the offices of the monarch and the Cambridges, respectively – have remained silent over Harry’s allegations in his Netflix show.
These included the claim that the Prince of Wales left him terrified after screaming and shouting at him during a summit at Sandringham.
The Sunday Times reports that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex want to sit down with the Royal Family to discuss their grievances in a bid to patch things up before King Charles’s coronation in May.
It suggested the pair feel aggrieved that the family instigated a reconciliation between charity campaigner Ngozi Fulani and Lady Susan Hussey, but no such attempt was made by the royals to repair things with the Sussexes.
Lady Hussey is a former lady-in-waiting who had made “unacceptable” comments about Fulani’s heritage
Harry also claimed in the Netflix series that Kensington Palace “lied to protect my brother” when it issued a statement denying a story William had bullied him out of the Royal Family.
The King is said to be hurt by Harry and Meghan’s criticism of the Royal Family, but has not given up hope of building bridges, the Daily Express newspaper reported.
