Harry’s TV interview told us everything – and nothing. Why are the royals such terrible communicators? | Zoe Williams

Is their motto never complain, never explain' or never stop complaining, never stop explaining'? Either way, it's not working for them

The royal family's motto has been never complain, never explain" for as long as anyone asking anything as tedious as a question can remember. Royal watchers trot it out as a devilish smart move by a public relations master-breed. They've cracked the code of how to retain their dignity, their mystery, their effortless superiority and, maybe in a fair wind, even divinity: simply never say anything.

Personally, I always found it a bit of an impediment to having any feelings for them. Sure, don't explain if you don't want to, but complaining to each other is 90% of human intimacy. It's hard to have a relationship without it, even an imaginary one.