4 Times King Charles Seemingly Chose Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Over William

Prince William, as heir to the throne, has always enjoyed more say in royal matters, with the King consulting him on major decisions. Such was also the case when Prince Harry and Meghan Markle left the royal fold. Harry wrote in Spare how Charles and William teamed up against him. However, behind the scenes, King Charles has occasionally shown a softer side toward the Sussexes, often reportedly to the displeasure of William. While William and Kate are the future of the monarchy and are extremely close to Charles, the King has, on a few occasions, taken a more forgiving approach toward Harry and Markle. Here are a few notable instances where the King seemingly put his younger son and daughter-in-law first.

Charles has repeatedly kept the door open to Harry and Markle, even when their relations with the wider family remained strained. In 2022, Charles reportedly invited the Sussexes to stay with him at Balmoral, with a source stating to Mirror that the Sussexes were “always welcome," and that the King hoped the visit would give everyone a chance to “take stock and relax.” While they did not visit Charles in 2022, Harry and Markle, with their kids, recently met the King at Highgrove House. Reports suggested that the King met his youngest without informing William, as he knew it would have created unnecessary friction. "I see it as King Charles recognizing that Prince Harry is his relationship to manage," shared royal expert Kinsey Schofield with Fox News. A source added, "William is still livid and can't understand why his father keeps extending olive branches. As far as he's concerned, Harry is beyond hope."

Charles also continued financially supporting Harry and Markle for a period after they stepped down from royal duties. Clarence House said the then-Prince of Wales had allocated financial help to the couple during their transition; the funding stopped in the summer of 2020. "The Prince of Wales allocated a substantial sum to support them with this transition," announced the Clarence House spokesperson. Harry, in his book Spare, detailed that his father continued to privately support them financially out of his own pocket for a period while they found their footing. He shared, "That was his job. That was the whole deal." This reportedly was not liked by many senior royals, including William, who wanted his father to have strict boundaries.

A royal source told The Express, “For years, he [William] was telling Charles he needed to take his titles and get tough," but the King could not. Previously, royal expert Tom Quinn also told The Mirror UK that Charles and William have “had lengthy discussions about stripping Meghan and Harry of their royal titles," with William determined to take the step, but the King being reluctant. Royal author Robert Jobson in The Standard has also reported that the King did not wish to strip Harry and Markle of their titles despite their many claims against the monarchy.

One of the clearest examples came after Queen Elizabeth II's death in 2022. Harry was initially expected to wear civilian clothes despite his decade of military service, after losing his honorary military appointments when he stepped down as a working royal. But ahead of the grandchildren's vigil at Westminster Hall, the Palace announced that he could wear his military uniform. The Guardian reported that Harry had been given “special permission by the King,” while royal author Christopher Andersen said Charles wanted to ensure the Queen's wishes were fulfilled. The move was seen as clear favoritism, as with Harry in the uniform, he mirrored the active working status of William.