Prince Harry Says He Wants King Charles and Prince William ‘Back’ in His Life: ‘They’ve Shown Absolutely No Willingness to Reconcile’
Prince Harry expressed his desire to have Prince William and King Charles back in his life in a new interview ahead of his memoir Spare. Harry said there’s been no attempt at reconciliation, blaming his family for painting him and Meghan Markle as “villains.”
Prince Harry says he wants Prince William and King Charles ‘back’ in his life
A clip from Prince Harry’s Jan. 8 interview with ITV’s Tom Bradby gives some insight into just how much tension there is between the Sussexes and the royal family.
Harry tells Bradby, “It never needed to be this way. The leaking and the planting… I want a family, not an institution.”
He claims there’s been no “willingness” to heal their relationship, however. “They feel as though it’s better to keep us somehow as the villains,” Harry says. “They’ve shown absolutely no willingness to reconcile.”
Prince Harry also says he’d like to be close with William and Charles again. “I would like to get my father back,” he tells the interviewer. “I would like to have my brother back.”
Expert points out how Prince Harry’s body language shows ‘anger’
Body language expert Judi James provided her analysis of the interview clip, telling the Mirror, “In a powerful moment Harry tells Tom two things: ‘I would like to get my father back’ and ‘I would like to have my brother back.’”
According to James, this looks like a plea but Harry’s gestures and expressions reveal defiance and anger.
“But he makes these statements despite behaving in a way that could ensure that never happens,” she explained. “The message sounds like a plea but it is not presented like that.”
James continued, “When Harry says ‘I would like my father back’ he uses a stare and a lip clamp that make him look defiant. When he references William he looks away with a head tilt that forms a shrug. Both seem to suggest he is waiting for them to make the moves.”
In addition to the shrug, James pointed out Harry’s “suppressed anger.”
She explained, “We are also shown a staccato blink, a one-shoulder shrug and a head shake when he talks about ‘no willingness to reconcile’, which all suggest suppressed anger.”
James added, “It’s hard to understand Harry’s goals from this clip. He makes the family dynamics look far more Game of Thrones than anything empathetic or conciliatory.”
Prince Harry’s tone is different when he talks about Prince William, expert says
James also shared an analysis with Express, pointing out a change in tone when Harry mentions Prince William.
“When Harry says he would like to get his father back, there is a poignant reminder of Meghan Markle’s father talking in public, but saying he would like to get his daughter back,” she said. “The acts and the objectives seem to be contradictory.”
James added, “Harry’s body language in this clip doesn’t suggest a man open to negotiation. As he speaks of ‘leaking and planting’ and being made out to be the ‘villains’ there are hints of anger in his delivery.”
Again, the body language expert looked at Harry’s blink and shrug. “The throwaway hand, the staccato blinking and the one-shoulder-shrug of rejection make it look as though any possible negotiation might need to be on his terms,” she explained.
James continued, “He looks defiant as he talks about liking to get his father back, with his chin raised and firm and some strong eye contact.”
She added, “His tone changes for William, with his eyes looking away and a head tilt that hints he might be more amenable.”
Showbiz Cheat Sheet acknowledges conditions and cultures can impact body language and is sensitive to all backgrounds.
