The real reason King Charles may never reconcile with his youngest son Prince Harry has been revealed in a bombshell new book.
Royal author Robert Hardman has claimed that the monarch could not risk jeopardising his relationship with another major royal by extending an olive branch to Harry.
Hardman revealed to the Daily Mail that the issues between the King and his California-based son subsided in light of his cancer diagnosis, but the relationship can never be fully mended.
Before his diagnosis was announced, the King made calls to all family members, including the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in California.
Harry promptly arranged to fly to London to visit his father, arriving at lunchtime the day following the announcement.
He said in an interview: “I jumped on a plane and went to go see him as soon as I could. I love my family. The fact that I was able to get on a plane and go see and spend any time with him, I’m grateful for that.”
Before the father and son meeting, the King had been scheduled to depart with the Queen for Sandringham, but postponed his departure to meet with Harry at Clarence House.
The meeting was brief, lasting less than an hour and no details were disclosed by the Palace or Sussex camps. Family friends warned against reading too much into the visit.
It’s acknowledged within Buckingham Palace that the King is open to some form of reconciliation with the Sussexes particularly since he has barely seen his grandchildren Archie and Lilibet, now aged five and three.
A former staff member revealed: “He always had an iron discipline about not stirring things up with the Sussexes. It can take a huge effort to do nothing when you’re being criticised.”
But speaking about the decision not to meet his youngest son when he returned to the UK in May, Hardman warned if Charles were to “engage in bilateral discussions” with Harry it could risk his relationship with Prince William, who is facing more pressing concerns following Princess Kate’s own cancer diagnosis.
Any talks of reconciliation would have to involve William, Hardman said, and now would not be a good time given the more important issue of his wife’s health concerns.
He wrote: “If the King embarked on bilateral discussions with his younger son, he might jeopardise his rapport with his elder son, who last spring had more immediate, pressing personal worries of his own following the cancer diagnosis of the Princess of Wales.
“Any talks involving the King would need to include Prince William, and now was not the time.”
