LONDON: King Charles is reportedly reluctant to move toward a full reconciliation with Prince Harry, despite the father and son holding private talks in the United Kingdom last year, according to royal commentators. The monarch is said to remain guarded after years of strained relations and public disputes.
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King Charles and the Duke of Sussex met privately at Clarence House during Prince Harry’s visit to the UK in September, marking their first face-to-face meeting in nearly two years. The encounter prompted widespread speculation that it could signal the beginning of a reconciliation between the estranged pair.
However, Prince Harry later dismissed media reports suggesting a thaw in relations, saying such stories were “intent on sabotaging any reconciliation between father and son.” His remarks underlined ongoing tensions surrounding media coverage and palace briefings involving the royal family.
Writing in the Daily Mail, royal editor Rebecca English said the King may have agreed to the meeting partly to avoid future criticism. She suggested that refusing to see his son could have been used against him, placing pressure on the monarch to go ahead with the talks.
According to English, the meeting did not encourage closer engagement but instead made the King more cautious. She noted that royal circles have been reluctant to discuss details of the encounter, amid concerns about potential leaks and reactions from the Sussexes.
“The impression I get is that the King felt slightly railroaded into it,” English wrote. “In truth, he knew that if he refused to meet Harry, then this would inevitably have been ‘weaponised’ against him.”
She concluded that King Charles’ approach appears to have been to meet once and then step back, rather than resume regular contact or move quickly toward a broader reconciliation.
