How do you approach a disgraced prince? The traditionalist in me suggests, “Could we speak a moment, Your Highness?” Or given recent events, perhaps simply, “Harry Honey, we need to talk.”
I don’t want to be part of the Duke and Duchess’s sordid spiral, you understand. But since quitting my own family two decades ago, I’ve become a sort of discreet adviser to those considering an exit from the familial fold. Not by desire or design. But because some people I know, a client and a business mentor, were generous with their advice and experience when I was groping for a change, I feel strongly about paying the kindness forward.
Okay, Prince Harry, let’s get two things out of the way up front. One, while it is admirable to move away from all you have known and attempt to change your life, such a break involves the feelings of others, which should not be hurt gratuitously, regardless of how much anger is held toward the offending parties. Two, breaking from the family fold is essentially a private matter and nobody else’s business.
Time and space are necessary to process the loss. The question of whom to tell and when is a complicated one. It took about six months before I could talk to anyone except my husband about what had happened, including my in-laws.
Twenty years later, I strive to strike an even balance. While I don’t avoid talking about my situation despite its painful nature, I don’t randomly introduce
