A source close to Harry said that for several months now, King Charles III has been refusing calls and not responding to messages from his youngest son.
King Charles III’s absence from an event that was significant to Harry – the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games in May – was notable. The two also did not meet during Harry’s return to the UK, which a spokesman for the prince blamed on Charles III’s “heavy schedule”. However, sources close to Harry say there was a deeper reason behind it.
Despite a positive meeting between father and son in February, Harry’s contact with Charles III has dropped dramatically since the king was diagnosed with cancer. “He’s not being answered. His calls are not being answered. He’s been trying to get in touch to ask about the king’s health but those calls are not being answered,” said people close to him.
King Charles III and Harry at Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in September 2022. Photo: AFP
Despite being estranged from the royal family, Harry still puts the safety of his wife and children first, so he has called King Charles III several times for support. The 39-year-old prince wants to discuss the security battle with his father because he believes he can help him solve it. “Harry is very worried and feels the only person who can help is his father,” a royal source revealed. Another source also said: “Harry is determined to protect his little family at all costs.”
However, a Buckingham Palace source confirmed to People that the notion that Harry’s security is in the hands of King Charles III is “completely incorrect”. Constitutionally, the monarch has no real power in the British government or the power to command police protection. Security policy for royals is actually run by the Royal and Public Figures Protection Executive Committee (RAVEC). But Harry – whose court order to use his own money to pay for his security has been rejected – feels that as king, his father could step in to extend the protection of his family.
King Charles III and his wife, Prince William, and his family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in June. Photo: Chris Jackson
The issue has created an impenetrable wall between Harry and King Charles III. Conversations between them have now shifted from frustration to “complete silence” from the king, a friend of King Charles III revealed.
And the Duke of Sussex’s desperation to keep his wife and children safe has deepened the estrangement between him and his father. Out of fear, Harry has decided not to bring Meghan , Archie and Lilibet back to the UK. He is planning to appeal after failing in his bid to restore the police protection he and his wife and children received when he was a royal.
Harry is worried about the safety of his wife and children if he brings them back to England. Photo: Chris Jackson
Meanwhile, sources close to the Sussexes, who have chosen a new life in America, say the palace is haunted by what happened when Princess Diana left the royal family. ” King Charles III ‘s fear is a repeat of the past. When his ex-wife left, she grabbed the spotlight, overshadowed him and became a global superstar. So when he saw his son and daughter-in-law leave, he felt things were no longer right,” the source said.