Where Prince Harry Stands with the Royal Family: ‘I Look Forward To Us Being Able to Find Peace”
Prince Harry and the royal family have been at odds these past few years. After Harry released his bombshell memoir, Spare, he revealed where things currently stand with his family.
Prince Harry’s drama with the royal family
The public became aware of the rift sometime after Harry married Meghan Markle in 2018. At the time, reports began to surface of Harry and Prince William not getting along.
In 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped down as senior royals and moved to California. Since then, they have publicly criticized the royal family in interviews, TV series, and books.
The duo claim that, among many other things, the royal family favored William over Harry, ignored Harry and Meghan’s mental health, allowed hate against Meghan to spread in the media, and made comments about the skin color of their son, Archie.
The royal family has not publicly spoken much about these accusations. In 2021, after Harry and Meghan had an explosive tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey, the late Queen Elizabeth did release a statement in response.
“The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan,” the statement read. “The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning. While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately. Harry, Meghan, and Archie will always be much loved family members.”
Where Prince Harry stands with the royal family
In a January 2023 interview with 60 Minutes, Harry shared with Anderson Cooper where things stand with his family.
When Cooper asked if Harry keeps in touch with William, the Duke of Sussex stated, “Currently, no. But I look forward to…I look forward to us being able to find peace.”
Harry also shared that it had been “a while” since he last spoke to William.
When asked about whether he talks with his father, King Charles, Harry revealed that the answer is the same. “We haven’t spoken for quite a while. No, not recently,” Harry said.
Will Prince Harry attend King Charles’ coronation?
Despite the animosity, Harry and Meghan have been invited to a few special events with the family. For example, Harry attended Prince Philip’s funeral in 2021. He and Meghan were also present at Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee and her funeral, both in 2022.
King Charles will have his coronation in May 2023, and there are lots of questions about whether Harry and Meghan will appear, especially after the release of Spare, which was highly critical of the royals.
According to a source, Charles does want Harry to be at his coronation.
“It is such a momentous occasion for Charles, and he would want his son to be at the coronation to witness it. He would like to have Harry back in the family,” the insider told People. “If they don’t sort it out, it will always be part of the King’s reign and how he has left his family disjointed. He has had a reputation as a distant parent, and it would be awful for him for that to continue.”
Royal biographer Robert Lacey also believes Charles can put their differences aside and show a united front.
“Quite apart from [Charles’] paternal hope to reunite with his son, one of the jobs of the royal family is showing how to cope with the problems we all have in a human and thoughtful way,” Lacey said. “What will be a success for the family in the future is not reconciliation necessarily, but mutual acceptance of different ideas and priorities.”
