FHHRN
The King will prioritise his constitutional duties over any personal feelings as a father in dealing with Prince Harry following the Duke’s latest tell-all interview, according to insiders.
Harry’s remarks in a BBC interview, followed by a statement over the weekend, have raised concerns for both the government and the royal family.
However, the 40-year-old Duke of Sussex is expected to remain on the outside while he continues to contest the Home Office Royal and VIP Executive Committee’s (Ravec) refusal to grant armed police protection for him and his family during visits to the U.K. He has claimed that his father will not speak with him or return his calls.
Royal sources say it would have been constitutionally inappropriate for the King to intervene while the case was still before the courts. Charles, 76, is said to be embarrassed that his son launched legal action against His Majesty’s government, and his reluctance to be publicly seen with Harry is likely to continue until the matter is resolved or abandoned.
Harry has asked Home Secretary Yvette Cooper to review the process that resulted in him losing lifelong police protection, noting that former ministers continue to receive permanent security.
“In recent years my family and I have been subjected to well-documented neo-Nazi and extremist threats, including from al-Qaida,” he said. “There are individuals in prison on UK soil because of such threats. And yet, since 2019 a proper risk assessment has not been conducted.”
His decision to relocate abroad triggered Ravec’s move to downgrade his armed protection, even as taxpayers pay an estimated £10 million a year to safeguard eight former prime ministers.
Royal insiders have compared the King’s stance on Harry with his approach to Prince Andrew and Andrew’s ex-wife, Sarah, Duchess of York. According to family friends, the key difference is that Andrew and Sarah have remained unwaveringly loyal to the King.
Harry appears to recognise that his chances of appealing to the Supreme Court are slim after the Court of Appeal ruled that although Ravec had diverged from its usual policy, it was reasonable to adopt a bespoke, case-by-case approach due to his living abroad.
If Cooper declines to intervene, Harry may have to abandon his challenge, potentially opening the door for the King to consider some level of reconciliation. But Charles and other family members remain concerned about whether they can trust Harry not to share private discussions in future books or documentaries.
A Buckingham Palace spokesperson reflected the King’s fatigue with the ongoing dispute, saying: “All of these issues have been examined repeatedly and meticulously by the courts, with the same conclusion reached on each occasion.”
