Prince Harry and King Charles: A Tense Relationship Struggles Amid Health Concerns
Ever since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle decided to step back from royal duties and relocate to America in 2020, the relationship between Harry and his father, King Charles, has been notably strained. The initial distance posed a significant challenge, but tensions escalated further following the release of Harry’s memoir, “Spare,” and a subsequent Netflix documentary in which he criticized the Royal family.
Royal fans had hoped for a reconciliation following Charles’ cancer diagnosis earlier this year. However, Royal biographer Robert Hardman has cast doubt on such hopes, suggesting that the rift won’t be healed “anytime soon”, via OK!.
Speaking at the Hay Festival in Wales this year, Hardman, who authored “Charles III: New King, New Court,” highlighted a “trust issue” at the heart of the ongoing feud, stemming from Harry’s revelations about his life within the Royal family.
According to The Independent, “People are still very wounded, particularly Prince William, that these intimate private childhood family moments all spilled out in Harry’s book,” Hardman stated. “It’s not what Harry said, it’s the fact that he said it, and he gave away so many secrets. And he was, effectively, at the time of the Queen’s death, you know, he was taking notes.”
The author acknowledged that while Harry’s book was an “amazing” read, there are deeper issues that the public might not fully grasp, reports the Mirror.
“If you get to the bit about his wedding to Meghan [Markle], it boils down really to about four or five pages,” Hardman remarked. “Now, as an author, that says to me one thing and one thing only: part two might be on its way.” He also suggested that Charles is “unhappy” with the ongoing rift, speculating that the King finds the situation “unsettling.”
A glimmer of hope for reconciliation emerged from Harry’s actions following his father’s cancer diagnosis in February. Upon learning of his father’s health issues, Harry immediately flew to the UK to see the King in person, later sharing his thoughts on Good Morning America. “I love my family,” Harry stated. “The fact that I was able to get on a plane and go and see him and spend any time with him, I’m grateful for that.”
This encounter, according to Hardman, could be pivotal in healing the familial divide. “I thought it was telling that when the cancer diagnosis came through back in February, Prince Harry came straight over,” he said. “I think what encouraged people at the palace and encouraged the king was the fact that afterward, we didn’t then read about it or hear about it. It remained private.”
Despite the lingering tensions, this private visit offers a ray of hope that the father-son relationship may eventually find a path to reconciliation.