King Charles has had no shortage of challenges since taking the throne, but few have cut through quite like the ongoing royal rift between the Sussexes and the Waleses.
For several years now, tensions between the Prince and Princess of Wales and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have remained firmly in the spotlight.
Prince Harry and Meghan stepped back from royal duties in 2020 and relocated to the United States. Since then, they have taken part in a series of high-profile tell-all interviews. Meanwhile, Harry also released his memoir Spare, which included a number of serious claims about life inside the royal family.
While Harry has met King Charles on a handful of occasions since the move, it has been widely reported that his relationship with his brother, Prince William, has deteriorated significantly, with claims it has now completely broken down.
‘Most distressing aspect’ of King Charles’ reign amid family rift
In the latest issue of Woman magazine, a source reportedly told royal author Duncan Larcombe that the king views the collapse in relations between the Sussexes and the Prince and Princess of Wales as one of the “most distressing aspects of his reign” so far.
Charles became monarch in September 2022 following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II.
Buckingham Palace has been contacted for comment.
The comments come after Prince Harry previously revealed emotional remarks reportedly made by his father about the strained relationship between his two sons.
In Spare, Harry recounted a conversation he says took place after the funeral of Prince Philip in April 2021. It reportedly involved King Charles and Prince William.
Harry and Meghan’s Oprah interview
The funeral came just weeks after Harry and Meghan’s explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey, in which the couple made a series of serious allegations about the royal family.
During the interview, they said there had been “concerns and conversations” within the family about “how dark” their son Archie’s skin might be before he was born.
Meghan also shared that she experienced suicidal thoughts while pregnant with Archie, claiming her requests for help were not supported by senior palace officials, who allegedly told her it “wouldn’t be good for the institution”.
One of the most distressing aspects of his short reign.
Harry also described Charles and William as being “trapped within the system”.
At the time, Buckingham Palace issued a statement saying the family was saddened by the difficulties Harry and Meghan had described, adding that while recollections may vary, the issues raised, particularly around race, were taken seriously and would be addressed privately.
They added that Harry, Meghan and Archie would always be much loved family members.
King Charles’ ‘heartbreaking plea’ to William and Harry
In Spare, Harry wrote: “I tried to explain my side of things. Every time I ventured a new explanation, started a new line of thought, one or both of them would cut me off.
“Willy in particular didn’t want to hear anything. After he’d shut me down several times, he and I began sniping, saying some of the same things we’d said for months – years. It got so heated that Pa raised his hands. ‘Enough!’
“He stood between us, looking up at our flushed faces: ‘Please, boys – don’t make my final years a misery.’”
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