King Charles Reportedly ‘Less Irritated' With 'Prodigal' Prince Harry Than With William
The royal family is no stranger to family tensions, but the latest strain may come as a surprise. While much of the focus has been on Prince Harry’s turbulent royal exit and ongoing estrangement with his family, insiders suggest the more pressing conflict is between King Charles and Prince William. According to royal author Tina Brown, the sovereign is increasingly frustrated with William’s approach to duty, to the point where he is said to be 'less irritated' with Harry than with his eldest son.
Brown, author of The Palace Papers, told audiences via her Substack, Fresh Hell , this week that the King’s patience with his heir has worn thin. “The King is, I am told, currently less irritated with the prodigal Harry than he is with his elder son and heir,” she claimed. Brown also suggested that William’s emphasis on family life carries an unspoken critique of Charles’s own record as a parent. “Somehow, William’s parenting dedication always seems couched as a tacit criticism of the King’s own paternal deficiencies,” she observed.
Charles, who, despite his own well-publicized shortcomings as a father, has long tied his sense of purpose to duty above all else. “At last, Prince Harry has got it right, which is bad news for the Prince of Wales,” Brown added. “After five years of exuding choler and wrath and spouting therapeutic gibberish, the ginger whinger finally realized that all the royals have to do to win public enthusiasm is zip around the UK and smile.”
The tension between Charles and William has also been highlighted by The Daily Beast, which reported on what one insider described as “a very strained relationship between Charles and his son and heir, William.” According to the outlet, the two men “do not meet informally as a rule,” and even at Balmoral over the summer, they spent little time together. Much of their communication, royal correspondent Tom Sykes reported, is handled through private secretaries.
The differences appear to cut across three areas: modernization, duty, and health. William, according to Sykes, “thinks Charles’s monarchy has failed to modernize. He thinks it still radiates pomposity and looks out of touch, thanks to Charles’s love of uniforms and ermine.” He is also said to disapprove of the way the King prioritizes duty over personal well-being, believing balance should be key. Charles, on the other hand, reportedly views his son’s priorities as inappropriate. From his perspective, William “shirks the most basic element of the job — appearing, in person, across the country, rain or shine — and his prioritization of family life over duty is unacceptable.”
Visible signs of the strain have already slipped into the public eye. Earlier, William was reportedly reluctant to attend the funeral of Pope Francis, an obligation Charles viewed as unavoidable. He also recently skipped the VJ Day commemorations, a decision that left some Palace staff exasperated. Behind the scenes, the relationship has been described by insiders as "strained and formal, often difficult." A friend, however, has recently defended William as "a dutiful son who respects the King’s position," but acknowledged that his stance hardens when it comes to Harry. According to the same friend, William believed any meeting with his brother would be a "terrible, terrible idea."