Royal Expert Explains the ‘Problem’ With Prince Harry’s Comment About Family and Illness
There seems to be trouble with Prince Harry’s comment about how illness “brings families together.” On the heels of visiting King Charles III as he undergoes cancer treatment, the Duke of Sussex discussed the time he spent with his father and how it could positively impact their relationship. The problem, according to an expert, is that Harry doesn’t “belong” to the royal family.
Harry agreed illness ‘brings families together’ amid King Charles’ cancer diagnosis
A week after seeing King Charles in London, England, following the monarch’s cancer diagnosis announcement, Harry opened up about briefly visiting his dad. He spoke to ABC News’ Will Reeve for Good Morning America in Canada while promoting the 2025 Invictus Games.
“Look, I love my family,” Harry told Reeve. “The fact that I was able to get on a plane and go and see him [King Charles] and spend any time with him, I’m grateful for that.”
Elsewhere during their talk, Harry didn’t deny that the state of his father’s health — King Charles is getting treatment while continuing royal duties apart from public appearances — could unify him and his family.
“I’ve also found in my own life that sort of an illness in the family can have a galvanizing or a sort of reunifying effect for a family,” Reeve said before asking: “Is that possible in this case?”
“Absolutely. Yeah, I’m sure,” Harry replied. “Throughout all these families, I see it on a day-to-day basis. Again, the strength of the family unit coming together.”
“I think any illness, any sickness, brings families together. I see it time and time again, and that makes me very happy.”
The issue is Harry doesn’t ‘belong’ to the royal family
Discussing Harry’s interview with The Mirror, royal historian and expert Dr. Tessa Dunlop highlighted an issue. Specifically that the current “peacemaker” Harry isn’t on the inside of the royal family and hasn’t been for years.
“The problem,” Dunlop said, “is that Harry does not belong to any family. The tragic slice of time he was granted with ailing King Charles — despite the air miles and cost — is indicative of the rarified world the duke’s father occupies.”
“Just like his grandmother, the late queen, who never hugged Harry, being king aged 75 is a big, distracting gig. Especially when you are unwell.”
Harry also demonstrated he’s “clearly keen to prove he can be trusted” when he remarked, “That stays between me and him,” upon being asked about the king’s condition. However, keeping the details private could be “too little, too late,” per the historian.
Harry’s comment about illness and families can also be extended to Prince William
“It was Harry in Canada who insisted that when service personnel get injured, ‘the whole family gets injured,’” Dunlop continued. “The analogy could be stretched to his own family.”
Harry, she explained, left the U.K. in “emotional pain” in 2020. After relocating to California, he took the “publish-and-be-damned option” with bombshell interviews, a docuseries, and the release of Spare.
“In doing so, he injured his family,” the historian said. “His brother, [Prince] William, is still hurting; recovery may take some time.”
Harry reportedly didn’t see his brother, the Prince of Wales, 41, when he visited King Charles in England. The only contact of sorts the two have had is believed to be a message of support from Harry and Meghan Markle to Kate Middleton, who is recovering from abdominal surgery.
