King Charles and Prince Harry's Feud Boils Down to a Key ‘Issue’ That Can't Be Fixed: Insider

King Charles' relationship with his ‘darling boy’ Prince Harry remains frayed, despite the latter’s desire for reconciliation. Charles’ recent visit to Canada sparked hope among royal fans who await a father-son reunion, but experts quickly dismissed the possibilities, claiming a lack of trust as the reason why the Duke continues to be 'blackballed'.

Royal historian Dr. Ed Owens told People magazine that Harry was once one of the most ‘reliable lieutenants’ who could be called to support the monarchy. However, things changed when Harry chose to leave the country and resign from his duties alongside his wife, Meghan Markle. His relationship with his father strained further as the Sussexes gave explosive interviews, discussing their time in the U.K. The bombshell docuseries, Harry & Meghan, and the Prince's memoir, Spare, brought to light the many tensions behind Palace walls.

Besides Charles, Prince William, who was once the closest to Harry, is also allegedly furious with his brother. However, royal watchers believe it is the King's responsibility to initiate the conversation and mend their relationship. Royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith says the monarch wishes to reconcile with his son, but “the underlying issue is trust.” Smith added, “The King and William don’t trust Harry and Meghan with any kind of confidential conversation.” Sources have also opined that the reason Charles is not taking the first step is the absence of encouraging voices around him. William reportedly doesn't wish to talk to his younger brother, while Queen Camilla is staying out of such a conversation after being widely criticized in Harry’s memoir.

Royal author Valentine Low said, “There is not a good angel in his [Charles's] ear to say, ‘Be a good dad and make the first move.'” The Duke, for his part, in his bombshell BBC interview, admitted that he is willing to reconcile with his family as he claimed he doesn't know how long he has with his father, given the King's cancer diagnosis. Low suggested that the interview was not meant to be an ‘attack’ on the sovereign, but it looked like one, suggesting, “It makes Charles reaching out even harder.”

Author of Charles: The Heart of a King, Catherine Mayer, suggested that the monarch is in a difficult position, caught up between his family dispute and his cancer battle. Mayer said, “If you have that level of breach in a family, and you are estranged, you run that risk every day of having something unfathomable to deal with.” In the same vein, Low echoed that the dispute can ‘potentially damage’ the King’s legacy. However, he clarified, “This is a family rift rather than a constitutional rift — it’s what happens to families. Both sides have to reach a point where they realize they can’t carry on as they are.”