Prince Harry and King Charles ‘Talk’ Despite Tension With Prince William: ‘Willingness There’
Despite Prince Harry’s damaged relationship with his brother, Prince William, the former royal and his father, King Charles, "still talk."
“A striking difference between Charles and William when it comes to their relationships with Harry is there is still a warmth with Harry and Charles,” Omid Scobie, the author of the upcoming royals book Endgame, told People on Wednesday, November 15. “With Harry, there’s a reluctant acceptance that this is just who his father is.”
The author, whose book is set to be released on November 28, explained that Harry, 39, would rather “have that in his life” with his father, 75, than cut off the relationship completely. “Hence, when they talk, it is often [Harry] reaching out,” he explained. Omid also added that he was “surprised to learn” that Harry’s wife, Meghan Markle, has had some correspondence with the king.
Meghan, 42, sends “over photos of the children [Prince Archie, 4, and Princess Lilibet, 2], although they’re not directly to him,” added the author. “So there is a willingness there.”
The division between the royal family members seemingly started behind closed doors in November 2018, after a royal reporter claimed Harry was upset his older sibling, 41, wasn’t welcoming to his new wife, Duchess of Sussex Meghan (née Markle).
Harry and Meghan famously stepped down from their responsibilities as royals in early 2020, which only worsened his already strained relationship with William and his wife, ?Princess Kate. The drama only escalated after the 2023 release of Harry’s tell-all memoir, Spare, where the royal shed even more light on the feud with his brother, including a physical conflict.
In the pages, Harry accused William of physically assaulting him during an argument over Meghan in 2019. The dad of two explained he got into the fight with his brother after William called Meghan “difficult,” “rude” and “abrasive.”
“He grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor,” Harry wrote about the altercation. “I landed on the dog’s bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me. I lay there for a moment, dazed, then got to my feet and told him to get out.”
Charles is set to celebrate his 75th birthday this week at Clarence House and it was initially reported that Harry would not be “making the trip from California.”
However, a spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex later confirmed to People that the couple was not invited to the gathering.
"In response to U.K. media headlines, there has been no contact regarding an invitation to His Majesty’s upcoming birthday,” their statement read on November 6. “It is disappointing the Sunday Times has misreported this story."
Harry made a brief appearance at the coronation of Charles and Queen Camilla in May but was not invited to join the family on the palace balcony. Meanwhile, Meghan stayed in California with their children to celebrate their son Archie’s birthday.
