King Charles III is said to be “saddened” after Prince Harry appeared to accuse palace insiders of sabotaging peace talks.
A spokesperson for the Duke of Sussex denied reports that the prince’s recent meeting with his father left him feeling like an “official visitor.” A statement sent to People magazine read: “The quotes attributed to him are pure invention fed, one can only assume, by sources intent on sabotaging any reconciliation between father and son.”
“Prince Harry’s counterproductive statement definitely caused disappointment for King Charles III, who was rather surprised and saddened,” British royals expert Hilary Fordwich claimed to Fox News Digital. “It overall makes future peace talks harder and reaffirms Prince William’s skepticism.”
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Fordwich’s comments came shortly after the Times of London reported the palace had been left “perplexed” by Harry’s statement. According to the outlet, friends of the king were “disappointed” by the news.
“The reality is that senior aides have been working behind the scenes to improve what is a delicate but important private family relationship,” a royal source told the outlet.
Fox News Digital reached out to Buckingham Palace for comment.
On Sept. 27, a spokesperson for the Duke of Sussex pushed back on reports that described his Sept. 10 reunion with the monarch as “distinctly formal.”
“Recent reporting of the Duke’s view of the tone of the meeting is categorically false,” the spokesperson told the outlet. “… Presumably, those same sources have also chosen to disclose the gifts that were exchanged.”
The spokesperson confirmed that Harry presented his father with a framed photograph that didn’t include the prince or his wife Meghan Markle. It’s believed the photo features the king’s grandchildren, Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4.
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“While we would have preferred such details to remain private, for the sake of clarity, we can confirm that a framed photograph was handed over. However, the image did not contain the Duke and Duchess,” the spokesperson added.
Fordwich said courtiers and senior aides worked “discreetly and delicately” to help ease tensions between father and son.
“Such public accusations have undermined their earnest efforts,” she claimed.
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A palace spokesperson previously confirmed to Fox News Digital that Harry, 41, had “a private tea” with his father, 76, at Clarence House, the monarch’s London residence. The 50-minute meeting was the first time that Charles had met with his younger son in more than a year.
The Sun initially reported that Harry was “surprised” by the formalities of the recent reunion and “joked” that he felt more like an “official visitor.”
Following Harry’s spokesperson denying the report, a spokesperson for The Sun told People: “In his statement, Prince Harry confirms the exchange of gifts, including a family photograph. The office of the Duke of Sussex was given full right of reply yesterday in advance of publication and opted not to give a response to The Sun’s carefully sourced account of the meeting. We have today updated the online article to include his new statement.”
British broadcaster Helena Chard said Harry’s statement could cause more harm than good during a sensitive period in his attempt at reconciliation.
“The Harry debacle is turning into … a reality show,” she claimed. “It only reiterates the narrative that Harry cannot be trusted. Without trust, there will be no peace talks, just a few short meetings between father and son.”
According to the Times of London, Harry has made no secret of his belief that the “men in grey suits” at the palace conspired against him, just as they once did against his late mother, Princess Diana. The outlet cited his 2023 memoir, “Spare,” where the father of two accused three courtiers he called “Bee, Wasp and Fly” of acting to force him out of his royal role.
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“I’d spent my life dealing with courtiers, scores of them,” he wrote, as quoted by the outlet. “But now I dealt mostly with just three, all middle-aged white men who’d managed to consolidate power through a series of bold Machiavellian maneuvers.”
Buckingham Palace never publicly responded to Harry’s book or its claims.
“Prince Harry’s views on palace aides are unlikely to have changed,” royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told Fox News Digital. “We heard them yet again in his emotional BBC interview in May. However, the unseemly briefings about what happened when they met for under an hour make another meeting unlikely in the near future.”
Harry has been estranged from his family since he and his wife stepped back as senior royals in 2020 and moved to California. Following their exit, the couple aired their grievances in interviews and documentaries. The royal’s memoir, which exposes embarrassing details about the House of Windsor and his sibling rivalry, worsened tensions.
In July, the U.K.’s Daily Mail reported that Harry had quietly extended an olive branch by offering to share his official schedule of engagements. The outlet said this was meant to ease tensions with the king.
The outlet also reported that Harry’s aides had a private meeting with the king’s communications secretary in London. Representatives for Buckingham Palace and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment at the time.
Prince William’s representatives were noticeably absent from the so-called “peace summit,” and the future king’s team was reportedly not notified of the secret meeting. Royal experts previously told Fox News Digital William and Harry are not on speaking terms.
“We know William is not in contact with Harry, and that seems likely to be the case for the foreseeable future,” Fitzwilliams said.
“Prince William has had enough of his younger brother and knows his character all too well,” Chard said. “He has moved on.”
On Sept. 25, several outlets reported William quietly went to Balmoral Castle to spend time with the king. Royal experts told Fox News Digital that while the king and his heir haven’t always seen things eye to eye, they’ve grown closer than ever.
William, 43, has been supportive of his father following Buckingham Palace’s announcement in Febuary 2024 that the monarch was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer.
“Prince William’s private meeting with King Charles is viewed as confirmation of the king’s increasing trust in his judgment,” Fordwich said. “They are closer and have a more trusting relationship now than ever. Prince William is loyal, devoted to the longevity of the monarchy and to his duty.”
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But royal expert Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital he is hopeful that, despite recent reports, Harry and Charles can also strengthen their bond.
“On a positive front, King Charles is open to welcoming back Prince Harry and moving forward,” he said. “William may not be convinced or wish to support such a move. William may find it extremely hard to forgive his brother, but King Charles is far more powerful than given credit.”
According to the Times of London, it’s believed Harry wants to return to the U.K. “four or five times” a year. A palace source told the outlet there will be no “half-in, half-out” role for him.
Royal author Robert Hardman told People that palace sources will continue to keep a close eye on Harry’s next move.
“If we hear nothing, there will be another meeting,” he said. “If we hear something, it will be a very long time before there is one.”
