A war between the Sussexes and Buckingham Palace would be a gruesome rerun of Charles vs Diana in the 1990s

He is alleged to have laid into Meghan verbally – “difficult”, “rude”, “abrasive” and then it is claimed that he physically laid into his younger brother. It conjures up quite a disturbing image, this princely fracas, and is made all the more poignant as Harry uses their pet names: “Willy” and “Harold”.

That was all three or four years ago, and things seem to have gone downhill from there. They’d probably still be brawling now if the Atlantic Ocean and most of north America weren’t keeping them apart. As so often, if we believe Harry’s reported account, the royal gossip turned out to be more than true – relations are indeed “strained”.

Where will it all end? Harry reportedly wants a summit and an apology from his father and brother for his various grievances, which may well be justified.

The problem for Harry is that the more of this backstory he mines and dumps in the public domain, such as claims William “encouraged him” to wear the infamous Nazi soldier costume, the less chance there is of any reconciliation. It destroys trust and a sense of confidentiality. Indeed, it already has. One of his complaints is reportedly that the “Sandringham Summit” with the family and the late Queen Elizabeth held to arrange the terms of ‘Megxit’ almost exactly three years ago excluded Meghan, who wanted to join in from California by video link.

It was apparently refused because…the others thought it would be recorded and leaked in due course by Harry and Meghan.

Already drained of trust, the idea of a fresh summit to sober things out edges further away with each fresh revelation.

William, Charles, the courtiers and the rest cannot be confident that any meeting would remain confidential and not be leaked to the press, ironically. Nor, though, can they present their alternative version of events, because that would merely entice more counter-claims from the exiled couple.

It seems likely there are even more devastating stories and allegations sitting in Harry and Meghan’s armoury – nuclear-tipped cruise missiles ready to be fired any time they want to press the button.

The delivery mechanisms – Netflix films, friendly interviews, books – are well developed. Their PR machine is becoming formidable. And perhaps there are what might be called “race bombs” ready to be detonated – including the one hinted at in their televised audience with Oprah Winfrey.

On the disputed facts, the choice for the Palace is whether to concede the summit meeting and apology the couple demand; or take the Sussexes on publicly; or to for ever maintain their motto of never complain, never explain: a dignified silence and hope that eventually what they regard as the madness of Prince Harry and the Sussex bin fire eventually runs out of fuel.

All are unsatisfactory, but of the three the worst would be to go to war with Harry and Meghan, whatever the provocation and however much the media would love it (stripping of titles, counter-claims, public denunciations).

It would be a gruesome re-run of the war between Charles and Diana in the 1990s, the so-called “war of the Waleses”, with once again a series of books and interviews throwing claims and resentments around the public domain – and it seems likely that the couple do possess weaponry on race that would seriously damage the standing of the institution in the UK and the Commonwealth.

Sooner or later the British people may wonder, as they shiver and go hungry, why their reigning family seems to be more concerned about their family differences than the welfare of the nation.

The least worst option would be for King Charles and the Prince William to take the risk of meeting the couple, conceding past errors and mistakes. A form of words could be constructed – and confirm their status as loved members of the family, by offering symbolic support for the couple’s independent work for their own causes.