Today's top story concerns Prince Harry and new allegations from a royal photographer accusing him of disobeying orders from King Charles III. Since Queen Elizabeth's passing, tensions have reportedly been rising between Harry and his father, the new king. This latest development threatens to further strain their relationship.
As many of you know, Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, stepped back from their senior royal roles in 2020 in a move dubbed "Megxit." They relocated to California with their two children, Archie and Lilibet. While in America, the couple gave several high-profile interviews where they openly discussed their fractured relationship with the royal family. This included their bombshell sit-down with Oprah Winfrey last year, where they made accusations of racism and a lack of support from the institution. The interview deeply hurt and angered senior royals back in the UK.
Since the interview aired, communication between Harry and his father Charles, as well as his brother William, has remained infrequent and strained. Queen Elizabeth had attempted to mediate and bridge the divide on various occasions. However, her passing in September cleared the way for Charles to take the throne, bringing an even bigger shift in the family dynamic. As King, Charles now holds the top position of power and responsibility for the monarchy. This includes being in charge of dictating royal protocols and deciding who gets what kinds of privileges.
According to award-winning royal photographer Arthur Evans, tensions between Harry and King Charles seem to be reaching a boiling point. Evans, who has been photographing the royals for over 30 years and has close relationships with many inside the palace, says that over the past few months, he has picked up on growing unease between Harry and his father during the few public appearances they've had together since the Queen's death. Evans claims that during a reception at Buckingham Palace last month, he privately witnessed an intense argument erupt between Harry and Charles as the pair clashed over Harry's upcoming memoir. Rumors have long swirled about Harry planning to release a tell-all book by the end of 2022. However, Charles is said to have serious concerns about its potential impact on the monarchy, especially as he takes the throne during this period of transition.
According to Evans, he overheard Charles telling Harry that as King, he cannot condone or support the memoir's release at this sensitive time. Charles reportedly made it clear to Harry that any negative information shared about the institution or senior royals like himself or William could seriously damage the monarchy's public image and their charitable endeavors. Harry is said to have reacted furiously, accusing Charles of trying to control his life and censor him from telling his truth. A heated back-and-forth ensued, with Charles sternly reminding Harry that as a non-working royal living abroad, he could not publicly go against or disobey the king's wishes on such an important royal matter. Evans claims that the argument ended with neither Harry nor Charles backing down on their positions.
This has sparked fears that Harry's book could further damage his relationship with his father. Since the confrontation, Evans says he has noticed an even frostier dynamic between the father and son during their few joint public appearances. Harry is next scheduled to return to the UK next month to attend an awards ceremony. However, Evans says Charles has allegedly requested that Harry not attend any major royal family gatherings or events during his visit out of concern for more public family drama. Harry is said to be heartbroken by this latest snub from his father but understands the king's wish to keep family tensions private.
Evans went on to express that the rest of the royal family shares Charles's concerns about protecting the Crown's reputation at this critical juncture. William, in particular, is reportedly furious with Harry for constantly throwing the family under the bus in interviews and now potentially in his book too. For their part, spokespeople for both Charles and Harry have refused to comment on or verify Evans's claims of this alleged confrontation and fallout. However, royal experts agree the tensions seem accurate given what we know about the rift so far publicly.
Many are now watching intently to see how and if relations repair in the lead-up to Harry's book release and planned visits back home. Some key questions remain: Will Harry still go ahead with releasing the memoir in its current form that's so worrisome for Charles? Will Charles stand firm on limiting Harry's involvement in family events during his trip? Could this be the beginning of a permanent estrangement between these long-fractured father and son? Only time will tell how this ongoing royal saga unfolds.
