Prince Harry ‘assumed’ King Charles would forgive him despite public jabs at royal family, claims insider
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM: Prince Harry reportedly believed that his father, King Charles, would eventually forgive him for his criticisms of the royal family in his memoir 'Spare', as reported by OK Magazine.
However, recent reports suggest that the rift between them may be deeper than Harry anticipated. According to royal commentator Tom Quinn, Harry assumed that his father would eventually make amends for the grievances that Harry believes justified his public remarks.
Prince Harry thought King Charles would forgive him after public attacks
"Despite all his criticisms Harry always assumed he would be forgiven by his father. He thought Charles would make amends for the hurt that- in Harry’s view – justified the criticisms," Tom Quinn shared with an outlet.
"Despite Harry’s attacks on the royal family, his father has avoided responding by attacking his son publicly, but privately, King Charles is furious. So much so that he is now refusing to take calls from his son," Quinn added.
According to a prior report, royal author Christopher Andersen believes that Harry's harsh remarks about Queen Camilla were the key factor in creating the rift between him and Charles.
"When Harry branded his stepmother Camilla a 'villain' in his book and revealed that both he and William initially begged their father not to marry her, Harry committed what Charles regards as a cardinal sin," Andersen commented following reports from a source that Harry and Charles were not on speaking terms.
"No one disses Camilla in royal circles and gets away with it – not even a son of the king," Andersen warned.
Contrary to Andersen's prediction, an insider suggests that the growing distance between Harry and the others stems from his ongoing battle for security.
"He gets 'unavailable right now'," a friend told a publication. "His calls go unanswered. He has tried to reach out about the King's health, but those calls go unanswered too."
Court denies Prince Harry’s security request which escalates his tensions with King Charles
Prince Harry's ongoing battle for security in the UK has become a significant source of tension between him and the royal family, particularly with his father, King Charles. The Duke of Sussex was hopeful that he would be granted police protection while visiting Britain, especially for his wife, Meghan Markle, and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
However, the High Court recently ruled in favor of the Home Office, denying Harry's request for guaranteed security personnel, leaving him reluctant to travel to the UK.
“The threat is very real. He needs protection. The idea that the security forces wouldn’t allow anything to happen is a very glib dismissal of the reality of the threat the family faces," a source said.
"Why would he bring his wife and children back to the UK if they are not going to be protected? The duke needs protection, they need protection," the source said. "The threat level hasn’t changed since he stepped back from the royal family, if anything it has got worse because of the tabloid campaign against him and his wife.”
Before her passing, Queen Elizabeth reportedly considered it "imperative" that Prince Harry and his family receive sufficient protection. At the Sandringham Summit, she made her wishes clear, even intervening to ensure that Prince Andrew retained his security. However, King Charles has taken a different approach, opting not to interfere in Harry's legal battle over security, much to the duke's dismay.
“The fact that there is even any debate around (Harry’s) security is unbelievable when you look at the situation. The late queen made it really clear [at the Sandringham Summit] that she wanted him and his family protected," a source noted.
"She intervened to allow Andrew to keep his protection. Why is it impossible for his dad not to do the same for Harry? If the king wanted, he could do this for his son.”
King Charles' absence at Invictus Games raises eyebrows
During Prince Harry's return to the UK in May to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games, a significant figure was notably missing from the ceremony - King Charles. The monarch's absence was officially attributed to a "full schedule", according to Harry's spokesperson, but insiders suggest there may be more to the story.
Harry had hoped to use the opportunity to discuss his ongoing battle for security in the UK, an issue that has been at the forefront of his concerns since he and Meghan Markle stepped back from their royal roles in 2020. The rift between Harry and the royal family has only widened since his departure from royal duties, with security emerging as the most significant point of contention.
Harry remains deeply concerned for the safety of his wife, Meghan, and their children, Archie and Lilibet. He has repeatedly sought assistance from King Charles, but those pleas have gone unanswered, according to sources.
The situation has escalated further, with Harry voicing his fears in the ITV documentary 'Tabloids on Trial', which aired in the UK on July 25. In the documentary, Harry expressed his anxiety that the negative press could lead to a violent attack on Meghan, stating, "All it takes is one lone actor."
This fear has driven Harry's decision not to bring his family back to the UK due to what he describes as "genuine concerns".
