Kate and William ‘can win back US hearts’ with their Stateside trip, says royal expert

The Prince and Princess of Wales are set to visit the US in 10 days’ time, with insiders seeing the trip as an opportunity to improve the monarchy’s standing stateside, according to royal editor Roya Nikkhah.

Writing in the Sunday Times, Roya described the Duke and Duchess of Sussex‘s Oprah interview as ’90 minutes of prime-time royal annihilation’ which left the monarchy’s reputation ‘tarnished’.

She adds that in the aftermath of the interview, a royal courtier said the Firm ‘now have a US problem’.

As a result, the trip by Kate and William, both 40, is considered to be hugely important in royal circles, according to the royal editor, who added that it is seen as an opportunity to get ‘the House of Windsor firmly back on the front foot across the pond’, and to ‘elevate the monarchy above entertainment news’.

The Prince and Princess of Wales (pictured during a visit to The Street, in Scarborough earlier this month) are set to visit the US – with the trip being seen as a chance to improve the monarchy’s standing stateside

According to royal editor Roya Nikkhah, the Firm was left with ‘a US problem’ following the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s (pictured in Manchester in September) Oprah interview

The 90-minute interview (pictured) was described as ‘prime time royal annihilation’ by royal editor Roya Nikkhah

During the trip, the couple will undertake a number of engagements, showcasing issues including climate change, vulnerable young people, and green tech.

The highlight of the visit will be the second Earthshot Prize awards ceremony, which will take place in Boston on December 2, before being aired by the BBC, Multichoice in Africa, and PBS in America two days later.

Days after the Wales attend the event in Boston, the Ripple of Hope Award Gala will be held in New York City on December 6, where the Sussexes will pick up an award for their work on racial justice, mental health and causes that make a positive social impact.

It is unclear if Harry and Meghan have confirmed their attendance, or whether the two couples will have a reunion while the Wales are stateside. 

The trip comes ahead of two major projects set to be launched by Prince Harry, 38, and Meghan, 41. They include the couple’s Netflix documentary, which is expected to air within weeks.

The Sussexes are reported to have tried to push it back to 2023 despite the streaming giant paying them a rumoured $100million (£88million) for the fly-on-the-wall series.

The highlight of the Wales’ trip will be the Earthshot Prize awards in Boston on December 2 (William and Kate pictured at last year’s Earthshot Prize awards)

The Princess and Prince of Wales (pictured in Windsor on September 10, 2022 with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex) will visit the US later this month – but it is not known whether the two couples will have a reunion

There have been mixed reports in the US, with Deadline insisting the show will be delayed until the new year citing bosses being ‘rattled’ and ‘blinking first’ because of the backlash over Season 5 of The Crown.  

But Page Six reports there will be no postponement and ‘the show will go on’ in December, citing a source close to the project. The insider said: ‘As far as I am aware, the docuseries is still going ahead later this year.’

The show has made waves on both sides of the Atlantic and it is expected to cause fresh turmoil for the Royal Family. 

After the Queen’s death the Sussexes were said to have wanted to ‘downplay much of what they have said about Charles III, Queen Consort Camilla, and the Prince and Princess of Wales’ in their documentary series, according to a previous report.

Meghan Markle even appeared to distance herself and Harry from their upcoming and controversial Netflix documentary around a month after Her Majesty’s death. The Duchess of Sussex suggested that its direction is now in the hands of Left-leaning filmmaker Liz Garbus ‘even if it means it may not be the way we would have told it’.

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Harry and Meghan’s controversial fly-on-the-wall documentary series is set to premiere on Netflix this year, sources have insisted. (Pictured: the Duke and Duchess of Sussex hug athlete Lisa Johnston at the Invictus Games athletics events in the Netherlands in April)

She said in a magazine interview: ‘It’s nice to be able to trust someone with our story — a seasoned director whose work I’ve long admired — even if it means it may not be the way we would have told it. But that’s not why we’re telling it. We’re trusting our story to someone else, and that means it will go through their lens.

‘It’s interesting. My husband has never worked in this industry before. For me, having worked on Suits, it’s so amazing to be around so much creative energy and to see how people work together and share their own points of view. That’s been really fun.’

Director Liz Garbus has been involved in a host of other TV and film projects about oppressed women, notably including Girlhood, which follows two female inmates – victims of horrific violence and tragedy – who are serving time in a juvenile detention centre.

She has also had control over a documentary about the life and legend of singer, pianist and civil rights activist Nina Simone as well as a film called Shouting Fire: Stories from the Edge of Free Speech.

Harry also has his memoirs, named ‘Spare’, on the way. Royal experts claim these two bombshell projects have prevented any reconciliation with King Charles or Prince William. 

Harry and Meghan had been working on the series as part of their rumoured $100 million (£88million) deal with the streaming giant. But there has been toing and froing over when it will be released

Spare is set to be published by Penguin Random House on January 10 – which will be more than four months since the death of Her Majesty on September 8. 

Publishers Penguin Random House say Harry’s book is written with ‘raw unflinching honesty’ and is expected to contain explosive new material addressing Harry’s childhood and his rift with ‘The Firm’ after meeting Meghan.   

Harry will allegedly not shy away from sensitive subjects, such as his family’s decision to encourage him and his brother to walk behind their mother Diana’s coffin as thousands of members of the public looked on.

The Daily Mail has been told that the duke – who has personally recorded the audio book version – did not tell his family about the title of in advance and that it will be seen as both ‘controversial’ and ‘provocative’ in royal circles.

‘That title is loaded and it does not bode well,’ a source said.

The prince’s book (left), titled Spare, is set to be published by Penguin Random House on January 10 – which will be more than four months since the death of Her Majesty on September 8

He could also reveal which member of the monarchy he claims made a racist comment about the potential skin colour of his then unborn son Archie, or shine a light on his strained relationship with his father and troubled times with William.

It has also been claimed that Prince Harry had to submit his book more than once before it was accepted by publishers, sparking fears that it was ‘sexed up’ with revelations about the Royal Family.  

Senior royals are said to be bracing themselves’ for the publication of the 416-page title. Biographer Tom Bower has warned the memoir’s reception will be a make or break moment for the Sussexes.

‘Put it this way, it’s not going to make for a relaxing family Christmas,’ a source told the Mail on Sunday.

The Royal Family’s lawyers are said to be on standby for Prince Harr’s memoir, over fears it is ‘critical of everyone and everything’.