King Charles ‘Saddened and Perplexed’ as Harry Accuses Palace of 'Sabotage' Yet Again
King Charles and Prince Harry's path toward a reconciliation has once again hit turbulence, this time over claims that Palace insiders are deliberately undermining their relationship. What was supposed to be a step forward now finds itself overshadowed by fresh rumors and wounded pride. The Duke of Sussex accused Palace officials of 'sabotaging' his efforts to reconnect with his father. The claim came through his spokesperson after reports emerged that his recent meeting with the King had a 'formal' and 'official' tone.
Harry’s camp rejected the reports as fabrications and blamed the ‘men in grey suits’ — Palace courtiers, who he claims have long pitted him against the institution. Charles, who has been juggling his health and a pared-down monarchy, had reportedly been encouraged by his aides to rebuild bridges with his son and put up a united front again. Instead, the fallout from what should have been a hopeful father-son encounter has allegedly left the King ‘saddened and perplexed.’ A source revealed, “The reality is that senior aides have been working behind the scenes to improve what is a delicate but important private family relationship.”
The meeting between father and son, reportedly lasting just under an hour, was portrayed in sections of the press as stiff and businesslike, and unlike anything the royal observers had been hoping for. Harry’s office not only denied the accounts but went further, suggesting that the details, however, were deliberately leaked. “Recent reporting of the Duke’s view of the tone of the meeting is categorically false,” his spokesperson said. “The quotes attributed to him are pure invention — fed, one can only assume, by sources intent on sabotaging any reconciliation between father and son.”
The Sun had earlier revealed that during the exchange, gifts were presented, including a framed family photograph featuring Harry and his children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. Harry’s spokesman confirmed the exchange of gifts but bristled at how such a private gesture found its way into print. “While we would have preferred such details to remain private, for the sake of clarity, we can confirm that a framed photograph was handed over. However, the image did not contain the Duke and Duchess," making the obvious implication that someone close to the Palace had provided the information, once again muddying the waters.
For Harry, the episode seems like déjà vu. He has previously also spoken about his mistrust of the Palace machinery, convinced that the same forces that undermined his mother, Princess Diana, continue to work against him. In his memoir Spare, he gave the 'men in grey suits' almost mythical status as the architects of whispered briefings and hostile coverage.
From the King’s perspective, the situation appears trickier, as Charles has consistently tried to avoid being drawn into his son’s public battles with the institution and press, preferring instead to deal privately with family matters, so much so that he also had explicitly laid down conditions to meet his son. Courtiers say he is “not in the business of making public rebuttals” but that the accusations have left him both disappointed and bewildered.