And Brits would be angered if they chose to do this against the background of the Queen’s funeral
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have found themselves humiliated yet again. Reports of a brazen request to fly back to the USA from Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral on Air Force One with Joe and Jill Biden have left us Americans ever more deeply repelled. It would appear that their hubris and opportunism have no limit.
If the reports are correct, the audacity of the Duke and Duchess’ request for a ride on Air Force One is disturbing, but completely in character for this shameless pair. This alleged request exemplifies an overwhelming sense of hubris that disregards the norms of diplomatic decorum and the solemnity of the Queen’s funeral. The apparently swift rejection by even this shaky White House illustrates just how inappropriate and presumptuous the idea was. So too, such an entitled ask is disrespectful of the American taxpayer who has no obligation to fund a whimsical joy ride to advance the Sussexes’ indefatigable efforts at self promotion. We Americans reasonably happily pay substantial sums so that our elected President can travel in a style suitable to his status as our leader: we would not be happy to accord the same privilege to a pair of ex-members of the British royal family with no official status other than being members of an overseas nobility.
It is no secret that the Duchess harbors political aspirations. However, her direct involvement in US politics raises serious concerns. Her 2021 personal calls to US senators to lobby for a change in the law on paid parental leave was a blatant overreach. Using her notoriety to influence US policy was not only inappropriate but, coming so soon on the heels of the pair’s departure from royal life, also disrespectful to the UK monarchy’s long-standing traditions of political neutrality.
For anyone but the Sussexes, the funeral of a revered monarch and beloved grandmother would be a solemn occasion, devoid of self-promotion and selfie opportunities. But was this request for a ‘lift home’ an opportunity to bask in the limelight, enhance their own image and elevate their status as “powerful establishment figures” in the US? Such a brazen display of hubris would not only have been disrespectful to the memory of Queen Elizabeth II, but also an affront to the new King, his family, and the British and American nations.