Prince Charles and Prince Harry’s relationship at an ‘all-time low’ after barely speaking all year

Prince Charles and Prince Harry’s relationship is reportedly at an “all-time low” after barely speaking all year despite attempts to "clear the air". 

• Prince Charles is said to have been left “deeply shocked” and hurt by Prince Harry’s comments about their relationship.  
• It’s claimed that there have been just a few “fraught” phone calls between father and son since the Duke and Duchess of Sussex decided to “step back” as senior royals.
• This royal news comes as we reveal how Princess Charlotte's kitchen dancing breaks Queen's tradition.   

Prince Charles and Prince Harry’s relationship has been under intense scrutiny ever since the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s Oprah Winfrey interview aired earlier this year. This saw Prince Harry describe his father as “trapped” in the institution, before claiming that Prince Charles stopped answering his calls after he and Meghan Markle exited royal life. This was later followed by a podcast appearance where the Prince opened up on the "genetic pain and suffering" he claimed was "passed on" to him—remarks which lead to Prince Charles being questioned by reporters.

Now it’s been suggested that the only contact between father and son has been a few “fraught” calls since they last reunited face-to-face at Prince Philip’s funeral in April. This comes as Prince Harry risked new family drama after publicly addressing the CBE scandal surrounding billionaire Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz and the Prince of Wales in a rare statement.

As reported by The Sun, a friend of Prince Charles has claimed the senior royal was “deeply shocked” by his son’s latest comments amid a difficult time for their relationship, described as being an “all-time low”. 

“Charles is deeply shocked and disappointed by Harry’s latest statement which effectively threw his father under the bus,” the source alleged. “There are fears that this episode with Mahfouz could even be a chapter in Harry’s autobiography.”

They continued, “This attack was more damaging than the swipe at Charles’s parenting skills because this was a challenge to the way he conducts his business which is far more damaging to the future King. There is no way for Charles to fight back and defend himself publicly so he keeps a dignified silence. These constant barbs about his father from America could be very damaging to his reign.”

But whilst the Prince of Wales might have chosen not to publicly “fight back” against his son with his own statement, it seems that despite various reported attempts to “clear the air” this year, they have “barely spoken”.

The source added, “Attempts have been made to clear the air but they have barely spoken since the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral. Charles very much loves his son and he will not be having a pop at Harry in return. It’s that simple. He is not going to join in because loving his son is the thing that matters the most.”

Prince Harry’s recent statement on the controversy dubbed the ‘honors scandal’ comes after allegations emerged that wealthy individuals are able to buy themselves a title after donating large sums to charities affiliated with the Royal Family. 

The Duke of Sussex’s comments specifically focused on one donor in particular, Saudi billionaire, Mahfouz Marei Mubarak, whom Prince Charles presented with a CBE at Buckingham Palace. Clarence House has previously said the Prince of Wales had “no knowledge” of the scandal, reiterating that his charities “operate to the highest standards”.

As speculation about Prince Charles and Prince Harry’s relationship continues, it’s not known when the pair could meet again in person. Already it’s been suggested that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will stay in the US rather than joining the Queen at Sandringham for Christmas in the UK. 

If the Sussexes do celebrate in California this year, it could be many months yet before Prince Charles and Prince Harry may be able to build bridges with one another and mend their once-close bond.