Loose Women’s Penny Lancaster has slammed Prince Harry’s decision to move to Los Angeles and said he is ‘dragging the Royal Family through the mud’.
Today’s panel – made up of Brenda Edwards, Jane Moore, Janet Street-Porter and Penny – discussed whether the general public have lost respect for the Duke of Sussex.
This debate came after Harry described his royal family life as ‘a mix between The Truman Show and being in a zoo’ during an interview last week.
Jane asked Penny whether she was losing sympathy for Harry the more he spoke out about his experiences growing up.
‘I wouldn’t think it’s losing sympathy, but maybe it’s a bit more losing a little respect and understanding of what he’s going through. Because it seems like he’s jumped from what he calls the “zoo” into a big goldfish bowl,’ she said.
‘I don’t think if you want to disappear out of that pressure and that limelight that comes with it that I’ve got to think that Los Angeles is a crazy place to go to.’
The 50-year-old explained that she, as well as the general public, might be more understanding if Harry and Meghan Markle had chosen to live out their lives in a remote village.
‘If they’d kind of run off to a remote village in Italy somewhere then people would go “Ah see, he said they couldn’t handle the press and the pressure and now they really have attempted to start a new life.” But Los Angeles doesn’t seem the place to go,’ she said.
‘Of course, talk about mental health, it’s extremely important, but dragging the royal family through the mud while you’re doing it doesn’t seem to be the right way to get the public on your side.’
Co-host Brenda Edwards disagreed, as she explained that she understands what William and Harry have been through.
She said: ‘I will always have sympathise for Harry and for William because of what they went through with their mother and I can personally relate to that.
‘The image of them walking behind their mother’s coffin for that long four or five miles, however long it is, that will never leave their minds and until you’ve walked in that shoe I don’t think you’re in a position to criticise because you don’t know what he’s going through mentally.
‘I know because I’ve gone through it mentally, I’m 52 and it was when I was four. It doesn’t get better but it might get easier.’
Brenda went on to say that the public should be focusing on the positive work he is doing for mental health awareness, rather than on the negatives.
She added: ‘His family is part of his upbringing and we don’t know anything about it.’
Jane agreed with her sentiments, saying she doesn’t think everyone can relate to the situation he is in: ‘If you haven’t lost parents at a young age then you’re really in no position to comment.’
Loose Women airs weekdays at 12.30pm on ITV.
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