King Charles Urged by an Unlikely Royal to Make Peace With Prince Harry and 'Move On'
The rift between Prince Harry and the royal family has been a subject of much public debate ever since he and Meghan Markle stepped away from their royal duties. While Prince William continues to be distant from his younger brother, another royal has quietly pushed for peace. Prince Edward was among the first few who spoke publicly about the estrangement, and behind the scenes, reportedly encouraged King Charles to extend an olive branch to his youngest.
Speaking to CNN in 2021, Edward described the divide as 'very sad.' On whether it had been difficult for Queen Elizabeth, he replied, "It's difficult for everyone. But that's families for you." The Duke of Edinburgh also noted that the Sussexes faced "excessive intrusion and attention" and admitted that all of them have dealt with the same in "slightly different ways." Reflecting also on the couple's relocation to Montecito, California, Edward said, "We wish them the very best of luck. It's a really hard decision."
The same concern and affection reportedly carried into private conversations. According to royal author Omid Scobie, Edward was among the few who believed the King should speak to his son and try to mend fences. "Prince Edward was one of the few who felt Charles should 'properly speak' with his son and try to move on," Scobie wrote in his book Endgame, especially in the tense months before Spare was released in 2023. He believed it would have been wiser for the King to face grievances early on rather than leave them to fester.
The need for a reunion became more urgent after Charles's cancer diagnosis in February 2024. For the Duke, who had not seen his father in months, the news became a turning point. The meeting was brief, with Harry only staying for 30 minutes and watched by Queen Camilla.
However, things now seem to be on the mend, with Harry recently having traveled to the UK for a 4-day tour. The father-son duo shared private tea at Clarence House, spending about an hour together, alone. The Duke of Sussex later dismissed reports that it was an 'official visit,' calling such claims completely baseless. He even gave his father a framed photograph of Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
The visit came after Harry voiced his wish to mend ties with his family. In May, he told the BBC that fighting serves no purpose. "I would love reconciliation with my family," Harry said. "Life is precious. I don't know how much longer my father has. He won't speak to me because of this security stuff, but it would be nice to reconcile." While it's still unclear whether there will be a royal reconciliation, Edward's encouragement for direct dialogue becomes even more pressing, though he admits he tries to stay out of others' business. "I stay way out of it. It's much the safest place to be," he said in another interview with BBC News.