Prince Harry’s ongoing emotional struggle with his strained relationship with his father, King Charles, and his brother, Prince William, has been a topic of interest once again.
A recent exposé by Vanity Fair shed light on Harry’s feelings about the aftermath of his book, Spare, and the public fallout with the royal family.
Prince Harry’s Rift with King Charles and Prince William
The Duke of Sussex, now 40, reportedly expressed genuine sadness about the lack of communication from the royal family following the release of his memoir.
In 2023, Harry confessed that he had not heard from his father or his brother since the book was released.
One source close to Harry said, “That’s sort of what made me so sad,” emphasizing how deep the prince’s disappointment runs.
They added that Harry’s hope for reconciliation seemed very sincere. However, the source also pointed out that Harry may not have fully understood the depth of the damage his memoir could cause to his relationships, saying, “I don’t know if that’s something he understood while he was doing it.”
Since Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, stepped down from their royal duties in 2020 and moved to California, their relationship with the British royal family has only worsened.
Their departure was followed by multiple public revelations, including a bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey, their Netflix documentary Harry & Meghan, and Harry’s highly anticipated memoir, which further strained ties with the royals.
Although Meghan has supported Harry throughout this tumultuous period, a source close to the couple shared that the Duchess of Sussex has recognized how challenging it has been for Harry to adjust to life outside the royal spotlight.
“I think Harry doesn’t know what he wants because he grew up in a fishbowl,” the source explained. “He probably wants to be left alone and be able to go kiss babies every once in a while but not have to worry about money. I don’t think he wants to be famous the way Meghan wants to be famous.”
In the midst of their personal struggles, Meghan has done everything she can to make Harry’s transition into civilian life as smooth as possible.
One former palace staff member observed, “I don’t want to be like, oh, it’s an Oedipus thing or whatever, but it kind of feels like she’s reparenting him in a way.”
Meanwhile, on the royal side of things, Prince William, who is second in line to the throne, has reportedly made it clear that Harry and Meghan are not welcome in the royal fold, along with their uncle Prince Andrew.
William’s main priority now seems to be restoring the royal family’s reputation, which has taken a hit over the years, especially after the Sussexes’ departure and Prince Andrew’s scandals.
In the end, while Harry’s relationship with his family remains fractured, he and Meghan continue to build a life together in California, navigating the challenges that come with their new reality.