The rift between King Charles III and Prince Harry isn't going to be closed anytime soon if a new report about the royal family is to be believed. According to the Daily Mail, Charles is in "great pain" over how his son has spoken out about the monarchy, particularly because he believes it caused Queen Elizabeth II "anguish" toward the end of her life. Additionally, a royal expert claims that Harry's father is also upset about derogatory things the prince has said about the king's wife, Queen Camilla.
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A source spoke to the Daily Mail about disagreements that Charles and Prince William have had in the past, but noted that they've moved on. "[W]hile I am sure they still don't agree on everything all the time, he and the Prince of Wales are firmly united now around a common shared interest, which is to keep the institution in a place where it can serve the nation," the source said. They added, "This was happening anyway as the late Queen got older, but there's no doubt what happened with Harry brought everything into sharp relief."
As for "what happened with Harry," the prince and his wife, Meghan Markle, stepped down as senior members of the royal family in January 2020 and now live in the U.S. In interviews, his memoir, and his Netflix documentary, Harry has been outspoken about the discord within the royal family and has been particularly critical of the way the family interacts with the media. He's also said that he was cut off financially and deprived of security after he stepped down.
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A source told the Daily Mail that there is "barely any level of communication" between Harry and Charles right now, and that the topic of their estrangement bring Charles "great pain."
The article reads, "There is undeniable anger at the anguish the King believes Harry caused the late Queen in the last years of her life, not to mention the insults he has heaped upon his own wife Camilla, of whom Charles is understandably protective."
In his book, Spare, Harry claimed that Camilla planted stories about him and his brother in the British press during her efforts to rehabilitate her image in the media prior to her marriage to Charles in 2005. He wrote that around this time he felt Camilla was "dangerous."
However, Harry has maintained that he and Elizabeth were always on good terms. "My grandmother and I were very close, and we very much did have a special relationship," he told People in January 2023. "I miss her dearly, as well as her cheeky sense of humor and quick wit."
The Daily Mail report claims that Charles has "rejected Harry's demands for an 'apology'" and is instead focusing on his work. "There's a lot of hurt on both sides, but time is a healer," a source said. "For now it is baby steps forwards. It's very sad His Majesty doesn't get to see his son or his grandchildren, but there's no rush to patch things up." The last time Charles and Harry were together publicly was at Charles' coronation as King on May 6.
Charles and Harry also made headlines recently in relation to Charles' 75th birthday on Nov. 14. Recently, the Sunday Times published a story that claimed Harry would not be in attendance at Charles' birthday party even though he was invited. A representative for Harry then told The Messenger that he had not actually received an invitation. "In response to U.K. media headlines, there has been no contact regarding an invitation to His Majesty's upcoming birthday. It is disappointing the Sunday Times has misreported this story," the spokesperson said.
The new Daily Mail report claims that Harry wasn't invited, but that the party will be a small dinner with friends with few family members in attendance.
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