As we’ve discussed this week, British royalists are furious that Prince Harry plans to do a paid speaking gig in Toronto on December 1st. He will give the keynote speech Ontario Real Estate Association Power House, basically a conference for real estate people. We’ve known for years and years that Harry and Meghan give paid speeches here and there, which makes them no different than various politicians and celebrities. To the Daily Mail, this is the height of controversy and deserving of mockery and derision. “Haha, Harry is getting paid to make a speech, what a loser!” Unlike his brother, the heir, who has to stage photos on private planes to prove that he’s not illiterate, I guess. Anyway, Richard Eden contacted an “Old Etonian” and a “royal source” to mock Harry for his speech.
Harry’s fear of public speaking hasn’t stopped him accepting an invitation to give a keynote speech at Power House, a conference for 450 estate agents in Toronto, Canada, next month. The organisers say of the conference: ‘This is your chance to hear from influential leaders, political pundits and powerful insiders on all things real estate policy, housing supply and the Canadian economy.’ Members of the Ontario Real Estate Association will have to cough up C$299 (£163) for the privilege, while non-members will have to pay an even steeper fee of C$499 (£272). It’s not clear how much of this revenue will go on settling Harry’s appearance fee.
News of the Duke’s appearance, which I reported yesterday in my Daily Mail social diary, Eden Confidential, has amused his old schoolmates at Eton College, where he was not known for his incisive contributions.
‘I’m not sure how much I would pay to hear Harry hold forth on housing supply in Canada,’ laughed one Old Etonian when he learned of the Duke’s speech.
That said, Harry, 41, has developed some experience of the property market in recent years. While he was brought up in royal homes and lived in Clarence House and Kensington Palace as a single man, he bought his first property – a mansion in Montecito, California – for £19.5million in 2020. With no fewer than 13 (and-a-half) bathrooms, it is a substantial property, which boasts a wine cellar, cinema, gym, spa, pool and tennis court. Last year, I revealed that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had also bought a home on the coast of Portugal.
Delegates at the Canadian conference have been advised that King Charles’s younger son will ‘bring a powerful message of service and leadership to the Power House stage’.
This description led one royal source to tell me, rather pointedly: ‘Harry and Meghan gave up their message of service and leadership when they left Britain and their royal duties behind. Presumably, they will now give speeches to whoever pays them.’
As he addresses a room full of estate agents, Harry could well ponder over the very different audiences he might be standing in front of had he and Meghan chosen to remain as working royals. After all, his brother William gave a powerful speech about the environment to dozens of world leaders, including the Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, at the COP30 climate-change summit in Brazil earlier this month.
Harry might also look to the example set by his sister-in-law, the Princess of Wales, who made headlines this week with her first public speech in two years. She called on business leaders to prioritise ‘time and tenderness’ alongside profit and success at a summit in the City of London organised by the Royal Foundation’s Centre for Early Childhood.
Indeed, Harry had hoped that he could concentrate on philanthropic projects such as his admirable Invictus Games for injured soldiers and leave the task of money-making to Meghan. The plan was that she would make a fortune through her glossy Netflix series and its spin-off lifestyle business, but the fact that he is having to undertake public-speaking jobs, such as the Canadian gig, suggests that he needs to bring in a few dollars, too.
Fine, I have time, let’s get into it. “William gave a powerful speech about the environment to dozens of world leaders…” A speech which was widely derided by everyone, and a speech which was so awful, the British press did their very best to ignore it and pretend like it never happened. Meanwhile, they’ve written more about Harry’s speech to Canadian real estate brokers (which hasn’t even happened yet) than they ever wrote about William’s dumb COP30 bullsh-t. And why would Harry need tips from his illiterate brother? Harry has spoken at the United Nations, the Clinton Global Initiative and every Invictus Games ceremony.
As for “hahaha, Harry is so dumb to take a paid gig” – it just shows British writers/royalists don’t understand the concept of hustling, earning your own way, and understanding that a paycheck is a paycheck. Harry doesn’t need the money, but he’s been indoctrinated into the cult of “don’t leave money on the table.” Why are they still so f–king mad at the idea of “Harry earns his own money” after all of this time?
And this royal source sniffing, “Harry and Meghan gave up their message of service and leadership when they left Britain and their royal duties behind.” This comes from the same royal sources who cannot comprehend how private citizens can engage in philanthropy without calling it “royal work.” That royal source truly believes that only ROYALS can provide service and leadership. Which is incredibly insulting and patronizing.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
