Prince Harry's Security Fight Is Making King Charles Increasingly 'Wary,' Claims Expert
King Charles is said to be entering 2026 with deep caution as Prince Harry moves closer to regaining official security during visits to the UK. While the latest development is being treated publicly as a legal and administrative matter, sources close to the Palace suggest that the situation has reopened personal unease for the monarch. Privately, as noted by royal expert Rebecca English, the mood remains guarded, shaped by uncertainty over Harry’s intentions should he spend more time back in Britain. According to her, this has also left Charles ‘wary’ after years of personal revelations from his son.
In her write-up for the Daily Mail, English opined that the King was extremely hurt by the breakdown of his relationship with his younger son but remains extremely cautious of welcoming him back into the royal fold after years of bombshell royal revelations through interviews, documentaries, and his tell-all memoir, Spare. “The King would never wish his younger son ill and has been 'pained' by the circumstances around their estrangement,” she suggested, also adding, “he also remains extremely 'wary' of welcoming him back, given events of the past few years.”
She also reports that Palace aides are not convinced by the claims making the rounds on the internet that a reunion is close, despite renewed speculation due to Harry’s security case. English also quoted insiders who told her that the attempts by the Sussexes’ dwindling PR team to suggest a father-son reconciliation is imminent are “somewhat wide of the mark.” Much scrutiny has centered on the private meeting between Charles and Harry at Clarence House in September, when the Duke was in his homeland to attend the Wellchild Awards. Their conversations lasted for about 50 minutes, and as per English, it was less emotional and more about damage control.
English noted, "Much has been made of their meeting at Clarence House in September, the first between them for 19 months." However, the sense is that the King felt ‘slightly railroaded’ into it rather than choosing it freely. “In truth, he knew that if he refused to meet Harry, then this would inevitably have been 'weaponised' against him at some point in the future,” she highlighted, also noting, “Better to meet and then retreat instead.” On the other hand, Harry has dismissed claims that he felt like an ‘official visitor’ during the sit-down with his father, branding such reports as false narratives to ‘sabotage’ his reunion.
But many within the fold believe that if the Duke actually wants to mend fences with his father and the wider family at large, then he owes them an apology for how he has behaved in the past. “And given this is unlikely to be forthcoming, the gulf between Harry and the Windsors remains,” English concluded in her write-up.
While the conversation surrounding his royal reconciliation remains uncertain, Harry allegedly feels confident his long security fight is nearing an end. On January 4, the Daily Mail reported that the Duke has met the criteria for taxpayer-funded security while he’s in the UK. A source close to the Home Office has indicated that “security is nailed on for Harry.” This positive update comes just two months after the Duke had written a letter to Home Office Secretary Shabana Mahmood, urging her to reassess his security requirements.