King Charles III‘s feud with Prince Harry is unlikely to resolve itself any time soon — and this is a big reason why!
Just last month, the Duke of Sussex got candid about how strained things are between him and his father. After losing his court battle for security in the UK (something he blames his family for), Harry told the BBC his dad “won’t speak” to him, even amid his cancer treatment.
It’s a stark contrast to how the relationship used to be. As royal historian Dr. Ed Owens pointed out to People on Tuesday, Charles used to call Harry his “darling boy,” and he was meant to be “one of his reliable lieutenants he could call on to support the monarchy.” That’s certainly not happening now!
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So, what gives? What’s keeping them estranged? Is it just the fact Harry (and Meghan Markle) won’t stop spilling the royal tea? Or is there something else at play? Well, royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith told the outlet that while Charles has had a desire to reconnect with his son at times over the years, there’s one thing that always holds him back:
“The underlying issue is trust. The King and William don’t trust Harry and Meghan with any kind of confidential conversation.”
He doesn’t even trust Harry to keep the details of an apology secret?? That’s bleak.
Other insiders noted that they believe it is the monarch’s job to take the first step toward reconciliation — though nobody in Buckingham Palace is encouraging this. Of course, the Prince of Wales still wants nothing to do with his younger brother, and Queen Camilla — who was called out in Spare — “stays out of it,” a source claimed. Senior aides, such as Clive Alderton, are also unlikely to push for a resolution. Author Valentine Low shared:
“There is not a good angel in his ear to say, ‘Be a good dad and make the first move.’”
Harry didn’t make reconciliation efforts any easier when he sat for that explosive BBC interview, Low added:
“It wasn’t meant to be an attack, but it would be seen as one. It makes Charles reaching out even harder.”
If only Harry could stay quiet for once, maybe he wouldn’t still be on the outs with his family!
Catherine Mayer, another royal writer, acknowledged how risky this feud is becoming amid the 76-year-old’s health battle:
“If you have that level of breach in a family, and you are estranged, you run that risk every day of having something unfathomable to deal with.”
It’s heartbreaking to think what would happen if Charles passed before getting to heal things with Harry. As their rift rages on, that’s becoming more and more of a possibility, sadly. But, obviously, it is going to take a LOT more than one apology or one heartfelt conversation at this point to truly heal things between these men. The Charles: The Heart of a King author continued:
“There is so much baggage there that the idea that one meeting would resolve everything is ridiculous. But having some contact would seem better than none.”
Low agreed, speculating the feud could “potentially damage [Charles’] legacy,” even though he thinks most people can separate the family drama from the royal work, he explained:
“This is a family rift rather than a constitutional rift — it’s what happens to families. Both sides have to reach a point where they realize they can’t carry on as they are.”
Still, it will go down in the history books, and that’s not the best legacy to leave behind… We’ll see in time if Charles ever decides to change that. In the meantime, he’s determined to live life “as normal as possible” while benefiting from the “incredible advances” of medicine amid his cancer journey, a senior aide shared. Harry, on the other hand, is seeking out new commercial ventures and philanthropic work. AKA they’re doing nothing to bring an end to this family feud. Sigh.
Expressing hope for the future, Owens told the mag:
“I would like to think the King will take that step toward reconciliation with Harry in due course.”
Fingers crossed… There’s a lot of bad blood between the two of ’em, so taking that first step won’t be easy… but it’s better than the alternative, right?
What do U think, Perezcious readers? Will Charles ever cave and reconcile with Harry? Or are the trust issues unfixable at this point? Sound OFF (below).
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