King Charles isn’t mincing words when it comes to where he stands on the media—and it’s a far cry from his estranged son Prince Harry’s ongoing crusade against the press. The monarch laid it all out during a Buckingham Palace reception on Wednesday, where he and Queen Camilla rolled out the red carpet for 400 media pros, signaling loud and clear their support for the industry.
While Prince Harry’s been slugging it out with tabloids for years, Charles struck a different chord at the event. “You won’t always get it right. A free media is one that will and does make mistakes,” he said, keeping it real. “But at its best, it’s a cornerstone of our democracy.” It was a nod to the press’s power to bring people together, even if it’s not always perfect.
The reception wasn’t just a one-off—it highlighted Charles and Camilla’s deep roots in British journalism. The King’s been an Honorary Life Member of the London Press Club since 1978, and Camilla’s no stranger either, backing several journalism charities as a patron. This is a couple that’s all in on the media game.
Meanwhile, Prince Harry’s been waging his own war across the pond. He recently wrapped up a big win against News Group Newspapers (NGN), the folks behind *The Sun*, settling in January after years of legal back-and-forth. NGN didn’t hold back, issuing a “full and unequivocal apology” for digging into his private life and coughing up hefty damages to make it right.
That’s just one chapter in Harry’s press saga. He’s already scored a victory against Mirror Group Newspapers and isn’t slowing down—he’s got a third lawsuit cooking against the *Daily Mail*’s publisher, with a trial locked in for 2026. The Duke of Sussex isn’t backing off, even as his dad cozies up to the very industry he’s fighting.
Charles picking the press’s side while Harry’s swinging at tabloids? It’s a royal rift that’s hard to ignore—and it’s only getting louder.