The ongoing fallout between Prince Harry and his family is expected to “reflect badly” on King Charles III‘s legacy, according to royal experts. The dispute, which has intensified over the years, has left the cancer-stricken monarch unable to resolve the tensions with his son, impacting his reign, said royal historian Ed Owens in a recent interview with The New York Times.
Owens noted that the current state of affairs is weakening King Charles’s position, stating, “He’s had the wind taken from his sails.” The historian added that the ongoing rift is preventing the king from achieving unity within his family, a crucial aspect of his role as monarch.
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In addition to the tension between father and son, Owens pointed out that Prince William, the heir to the throne, has at times been perceived as “workshy.” However, he acknowledged that William is now “gravitating toward bigger, more media-friendly events,” suggesting that the younger royal is increasingly stepping into a more visible public role.
Peter Hunt, a former BBC royal correspondent, also weighed in, telling the Times that the king’s inability to mend the fractured relationship with his son is a major concern. “His role is to bring people together, and yet he can’t bring people together on his doorstep,” Hunt said, further emphasizing the significance of family unity for the monarchy.
The comments came in the context of a news analysis piece titled “Can King Charles Heal a Royal Family Crisis Before It’s Too Late?” published by The New York Times. In the article, journalist Mark Landler highlighted the ongoing family discord, describing King Charles’s reign as “both eventful and oddly unchanging in its core narrative: that of a beleaguered father managing a messy brood.”
This crisis has been in the spotlight since Prince Harry’s dramatic television interview on May 2. In the interview, Harry reflected on his “devastating” loss in a case at the Court of Appeal, which denied his request for round-the-clock police protection in the UK. He also lamented the lack of communication from his father, stating, “I don’t know how much longer my father has,” and calling his court defeat a “good old-fashioned establishment stitch-up.”
However, Harry’s public remarks appear to have exacerbated the situation, with the royal family concerned that any potential conversation with Harry would likely end up in the public domain. As a result, the likelihood of reconciliation seems increasingly distant.
Meanwhile, the royal family has maintained a united front, as evidenced by their participation in VE Day anniversary events in London last week. Despite the show of unity, experts believe that the unresolved tensions overshadow Charles’s reign. “It hasn’t really gotten going,” Owens remarked, referring to the monarch’s difficulties in overcoming the family crisis.
In response to Harry’s comments, Buckingham Palace issued a statement that was described as unusually blunt. A palace spokesperson said, “All of these issues have been examined repeatedly and meticulously by the courts, with the same conclusion reached on each occasion.”
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Amid this turmoil, Prince William has been increasingly thrust into public events, such as meeting former President Donald Trump in Paris and attending Pope Francis’s funeral. Owens noted that William, once seen as “workshy,” is now enhancing his public image as a statesman.
A recent YouGov poll revealed that Prince Harry remains popular in the U.S., with 56% of Americans viewing him positively, though his father and brother’s roles in the monarchy continue to face scrutiny.
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