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Royal Rift Deepens: King Charles, Prince William, and Prince Harry Face Growing Estrangement
Reports suggest a widening divide between King Charles III and his sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, signaling a potential deepening of the royal family rift. The monarch, who acceded to the throne in 2022 following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, shares William and Harry with his former wife, the late Princess Diana. King Charles is now married to Queen Camilla, marking their 20th anniversary.
Since 2019, the royal family has navigated persistent internal conflict and strained relationships. Following his marriage to Meghan Markle, Prince Harry and Prince William formally separated their royal households. The once close bond between the brothers reportedly deteriorated further when the Duke of Sussex alleged Prince William facilitated the leaking of inaccurate stories about Meghan online. Prince William has not publicly responded to these claims.
Prince Harry’s relationship with King Charles also became strained after Harry stated that the King financially discontinued support for him and Meghan when they stepped back from senior royal roles in 2020 and relocated to California.
Efforts to Reconcile
“I will always love him, but there’s considerable hurt,” Prince Harry stated in a 2021 interview. “I will continue to prioritize mending that relationship.”
Communication between Prince Harry and King Charles reportedly resumed after the King’s cancer diagnosis in early 2024.
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“I love my family. I was grateful to go see him and spend time with him,” Prince Harry commented in February. “I went to see him as soon as I could… I’ll visit my family as often as possible.”
However, recent developments indicate a possible setback in these efforts, stemming from Prince Harry’s legal proceedings, Prince William’s latest appointment for his charity, Earthshot Prize, and divergent Easter holiday arrangements. Details of these events are outlined below:
Prince Harry’s Security Appeal and Legal Case
In April 2025, Prince Harry attended a hearing concerning his appeal against the decision to remove his and Meghan’s security detail when visiting the UK with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
Speaking to The Telegraph, Prince Harry described the security decision as “difficult to accept,” amidst speculations linking it to his strained relationship with King Charles.
“My worst fears have been confirmed through legal disclosures, which is truly disheartening,” Prince Harry conveyed to People. Royal observers interpreted this remark as a veiled reference to King Charles, suggesting potential royal influence in the appeal’s outcome.
Divergent Easter Observances
Subsequent reports revealed that Prince William and Princess Kate Middleton would forgo the traditional Easter church service with the royal family to instead take a spring break with their children. Typically, the Prince and Princess of Wales join King Charles and Queen Camilla for the Easter Sunday service, often accompanied by Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
“This is significant,” an insider reported. “Royal Easter attendance is a family tradition. While their absence was understood last year due to Princess Kate’s illness, William’s repeat absence this year has raised concerns within the palace. It appears to be a deliberate decision, possibly even a slight.”
Princess Kate underwent treatment for cancer in 2024 and is currently in remission.
Earthshot Prize CEO Appointment
Concurrent with the Easter news, the announcement arrived that Jason Knauf had been appointed CEO of the Earthshot Prize by the Board of Trustees. Prince William established the Earthshot Prize to “identify, support and scale innovative solutions to environmental challenges,” according to its mission statement.
“I anticipate collaborating with Jason to guide the Earthshot Prize in its next five years and beyond, as we strive to expand impactful solutions to global issues,” Prince William stated.
Jason Knauf previously served as communications secretary for Prince William, Princess Kate, Prince Harry, and Meghan. In 2018, Knauf accused Meghan of bullying, alleging she mistreated staff members. Meghan denied these allegations.