The King and Queen at the Colosseum. Pic: PA
If you want your royal visit to have an impact, then a fly past, covering the skies over Rome with smoke in the colours of the UK and Italian flags, is probably a good way to do it.
But at almost the same time as the Red Arrows and their Italian equivalent, the Frecce Tricolori, roared over the heads of the King, Queen, and Italy’s President Sergio Mattarella, cameras back in London were unexpectedly poised for another member of the family.
There had been mutterings that Prince Harry might be back, but such is the secrecy around any of his trips to the UK no one was entirely certain.
He seemed in a good mood, I’m told, with smiles and waves to reporters – but Harry does not tend to come back to the UK anymore unless it’s for something important.
Harry appears in court as King visits Rome
This visit centred around the very issue he says is keeping him and his family away: his security.
There was a time when a member of the royal family would do anything to avoid being seen near a court.
We know Harry no longer feels constrained by royal protocol, but with the media bun fight that occurs when he does fly over, it’s still a big deal. And it ultimately shows how much this appeal matters.
One thing that became clear in Tuesday’s proceedings is Harry feels this issue has been misreported and that it’s not about him wanting special treatment.
Prince Harry waves as he walks into court. Pic: Reuters
As his lawyers set out, “his case is not that he should automatically be entitled to the same protection as he was previously given when he was a working member of the royal family”.
His case, they said, is “that he should be considered under the Terms of Reference and subject to the same process as any other individual being considered for protective security”.
As those proceedings were unfolding in London, the King and Queen were continuing with their diplomatic mission.
Charles and Camilla watching the flypast with Italy’s President Sergio Mattarella and his daughter, First Lady Laura Mattarella. Pic: Reuters
Neither are strangers to personal family matters at times getting in the way of their public engagements.
Harry appearing in court again, against His Majesty’s Home Office, is no doubt a distraction.
But, as ever, didn’t get a hint of that as Charles and Camilla posed for a pre-twentieth wedding anniversary photo opportunity outside the Colosseum. A couple doing whatever they can to keep their hosts and the UK government happy.
The royals posed for pre-anniversary pictures at Rome’s best-known landmark . Pic: PA
In terms of the relationship between Harry and his family, it’s almost impossible to fully gauge where things are at.
Both sides seem cautious of saying anything, which on past experiences is probably for the best.
Although I have heard suggestions that this issue over security could be one of the problems standing in the way of Harry and the King patching things up.
King and Queen visit Colosseum
Harry potentially feels let down by his father, or certainly palace courtiers around him, for not helping to fight his corner.
As he arrived at court, someone shouted: “Are you going to see your father?”.
His father who at the time was of course in Rome preparing to meet the Italian president. A time when father and son still sadly seem worlds apart.
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