Always a way forward, says Archbishop about royal family rift

The Archbishop of Canterbury has said there is “always a way forward” but it has to be “at the right time”, when asked about reconciliation between the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and the royal family.

The Most Rev Justin Welby officiated at the couple’s wedding in 2018 and said that due to pastoral confidentiality he could not really comment on the rift.

Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace have remained silent over Harry’s allegations in his Netflix show that the Prince of Wales left him terrified after screaming and shouting at him during a summit at Sandringham.

Harry also claimed in the controversial six-part 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.

And he accused the King of lying at the tense Megxit crisis meeting with the Queen in January 2020.

Charles 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.

On Sunday the archbishop was asked if he could see a way in which Harry and Meghan may be able to reconcile with the royal family.

He told BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme: “I can’t really comment on it because I married them and there’s sort of pastoral confidentiality.

“There’s always a way forward, but it has to be at the right time.

“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.”

Earlier in the programme, in a separate section of the show unrelated to the royal family, Mr Welby said people get absolutely “crucified” nowadays when they make a mistake.

He was asked if he thinks there is currently a lack of togetherness and said: “I think there is. I think we just haven’t adjusted to the way in which we communicate, is one problem.

“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.”

He went on to say: “I think people suffer hugely when they go wrong, not just with public exposure, but the awful trolling that goes on, and the inability to accept apologies, to seek forgiveness.

“Those are really difficult things.”

This week Lady Susan Hussey, who asked a black British charity boss where she “really came from” during a Buckingham Palace reception, apologised to her in person.

Ngozi Fulani, founder of the charity Sistah Space, expressed shock at her treatment by Lady Susan, the late Queen’s lady in waiting, and said she had suffered “horrific abuse” on social media in the aftermath.

Buckingham Palace said in a statement the two women had met on Friday at Buckingham Palace: “At this meeting, filled with warmth and understanding, Lady Susan offered her sincere apologies for the comments that were made and the distress they caused to Ms Fulani.

“Lady Susan has pledged to deepen her awareness of the sensitivities involved and is grateful for the opportunity to learn more about the issues in this area.

“Ms Fulani, who has unfairly received the most appalling torrent of abuse on social media and elsewhere, has accepted this apology and appreciates that no malice was intended.”

Meanwhile, Mr Welby also talked about the cost-of-living crisis during the Sunday morning programme.

“We see it in the church in a 400% increase in people coming to the food banks,” he said, adding that the increase he was referring to was over the past 18 months.

“We’re seeing this continually. Debt rising, pressures on families, just at all sorts of levels,” he added.