King Charles is being urged to make peace with his son – or it could cost his legacy.
Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams claimed to Fox News Digital that Prince Harry’s pleas to reconcile with his family, while also airing dirty laundry, could undermine Charles’ leadership as a monarch who is battling cancer.
“Charles’ reign is not being overshadowed by the feud, but it is being damaged by it because of the huge amount of publicity,” said Fitzwilliams. “In Harry’s recent interview, he seemed angry and pretty gutted… It would be a serious problem for the royal family if he and Meghan launched further attacks.”
PRINCE HARRY’S NUCLEAR INTERVIEW WOULD HAVE ‘HORRIFIED’ QUEEN: EXPERT
Fitzwilliams’ claims came shortly after The New York Times reported that the patriarch, 76, is being eclipsed by his estranged son whenever he airs his grievances.
“It has become a familiar pattern for the 76-year-old monarch,” read the report. “Two years after his coronation, his reign is shaping up as both eventful and oddly unchanging in its core narrative: that of a beleaguered father managing a messy brood.”
“Some royal watchers warn that unless Charles finds a way to heal that rift, it could define his reign, undercutting the messages of tolerance and inclusiveness that he has long championed,” it warned.
British royal expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital that the king’s feud with the Duke of Sussex is “a test” of not only the monarchy’s resilience, but also the king’s leadership and discipline.
“It has been extremely important and admirable that Charles has been able, despite his love for his wayward son Harry, to maintain royal protocol, family unity and to maintain the monarchy’s dignified public image,” said Fordwich.
“A lesser man might well engage in a squalid tit-for-tat public back and forth with Harry,” she said. His resilience, at such a vulnerable time suffering from cancer, has garnered the admiration of so many, now even more so, in stark contrast to Harry’s constant moaning.”
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER
Harry has been estranged from his family since he and his wife, Meghan Markle, quit royal duties in 2020 and moved to California, alleging hostility and racist attitudes by the press and royal establishment. Following their royal exit, a government committee decided that Harry’s security arrangements should be decided on a case-by-case basis whenever he visits the U.K.
The couple went on to publicly detail their struggles with royal life and make eyebrow-raising accusations about “The Firm” in televised interviews and documentaries. Harry’s tell-all 2023 memoir “Spare,” stuffed with private details and embarrassing revelations, made things worse.
On May 2, Harry told the BBC he wanted to reconcile with his family after losing a court battle over his publicly funded security, which he said led his father to stop talking to him. Sources close to Harry previously told People magazine that Charles hasn’t responded to the 40-year-old’s calls or letters.
“I would love reconciliation with my family,” said Harry. “There’s no point in continuing to fight anymore. I don’t know how much longer my father has.”
Buckingham Palace has declined to comment to Fox News Digital about the king’s current relationship with his son. The New York Times reported that the palace pushed back on Harry’s insistence that his father could have done more to help have his police protection reinstated whenever he visits Britain.
“All of these issues have been examined repeatedly and meticulously by the courts, with the same conclusion reached on each occasion,” said a spokesman for the palace.
LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
“The royal family cannot trust the Sussexes as they constantly go to the media to air their grudges,” Fitzwilliams claimed. “It has also cost the monarchy some popular support, especially among the 18-24-year-olds. [But] Charles, backed by Prince William and greatly helped by Queen Camilla, is prioritizing his health and engagements. Given his errant son’s behavior, he has no choice.”
“The monarchy has a pivotal part to play in the current geopolitical situation, especially regarding links with the United States,” he pointed out. “If the Sussexes had remained senior working royals… they would have been an important part of this process, especially given Meghan’s American roots… Instead, they opted out after only a couple of years.”
British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard doesn’t believe Charles’ reign will be overshadowed by “the Prince Harry debacle.” She called that idea “a load of poppycock.”
WATCH: PRINCE HARRY LOOKING TO RECONCILE WITH KING CHARLES, ROYAL FAMILY
“Throughout history, there has been royal family drama, dysfunctional family dynamics, family differences and prodigal sons,” Chard explained. “Time is a great healer, and soon, the much-discussed feud will be yesterday’s news.”
“King Charles… cannot be held responsible for the family fallout,” she said. ‘He doesn’t want his son to be unhappy… he certainly doesn’t need the friction. His health is of the utmost importance. Queen Camilla will make sure his energy is spent keeping well. Prince Harry may be fragile, but he also needs to learn. He has misfired yet again with his disastrous BBC interview. When he doesn’t get his way, he hurls hurtful public [claims] toward his family.”
“King Charles cannot pander to Prince Harry’s behavior and unreasonable requests,” Chard stressed. “Harry is obsessive about his crusades without considering the consequences. Prince Harry wouldn’t have arranged the BBC interview if he genuinely wanted family reconciliation… Allegedly, it is thought that Prince William should be assigned the job of appeasing the Prince Harry situation on behalf of his father. However, it seems for now that the door is firmly shut.”
Harry said he was devastated to lose the case, which has been a source of friction with his father. Harry has met with him once briefly since his diagnosis early last year.
“He won’t speak to me because of this security stuff,” Harry told the BBC hours after the ruling. He noted that the court verdict meant it would be impossible to safely bring his family back to the U.K.
“While King Charles has publicly championed inclusivity, the British public opinion polls reflect the national sentiment that Harry has behaved despicably in general, and certainly toward his flesh and blood,” said Fordwich.
“Harry’s recent whinging to the BBC has further reinforced King Charles’ perception of Harry being rather a ‘loose cannon,’” Fordwich claimed. “Prince William is even more staunchly opposed to any form of reconciliation than his father. He urged Princess Catherine to refrain from further contact with Harry.”
Royal expert Ian Pelham Turner claimed to Fox News Digital that the royal family has more important things to worry about – and it has nothing to do with Harry.
“The destiny of the royal family is, in my view, less certain than they think,” he said. “Twenty-somethings in Britain see them as an outdated and unnecessary institution costing millions of pounds.
“I constantly state that it is the blood, sweat and tears of the British taxpayers who pay for their existence. They do not have a choice, in my opinion, other than to unite publicly and swallow their differences privately.”
Still, Chard doesn’t believe a royal reconciliation will happen anytime soon, even if it guarantees a greater rise in Charles’ popularity.
“Prince Harry and the royal family’s painful rift is a sorry state of affairs and most definitely is not going to be resolved overnight,” she said.
