Royal watchers say Harry and Meghan crisis must jolt 'the firm' towards change

Spotlight is on the power behind the royals as much as on the Queen, Charles and William

Four days after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex eviscerated the the firm" with the sharp blade of their truth", Prince William had still not spoken to his brother. But they just do not communicate in the way other families do," said one veteran royal watcher. You wonder if anyone has rung Harry."

According to one report, the Queen plans to personally offer an olive branch to the couple. She said in a statement this week that the extraordinarily damaging allegations from the Sussexes - of racism and of emotional neglect that Meghan said had left her feeling suicidal - would be dealt with privately.