King Charles and Prince Harry: Hope for a reconciliation, says source

Is a reconciliation on the cards for King Charles and Prince Harry? Photos / Getty Images, AP

After years of tension between King Charles and his son, Prince Harry, could the anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s death spark a reconciliation for the estranged father and son?

According to People magazine, an exclusive source close to the royal household has claimed the new monarch wants to make amends with his son from whom he became estranged in 2020 when Harry stood down as a senior royal.

“I’m sure [the King] misses him. Harry is entertaining, warm and very loving as well. And they had a great relationship,” the source told People.

Royal biographer and author of Queen of Our Times, Robert Hardman, agreed adding King Charles “leans toward the compassionate rather than the disciplinarian style of family leadership”.

In his first year as King, Charles appears to have adopted a similar style to his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth. Photo / Getty Images

He said the King could take a leaf from his mother’s book and navigate a reconciliation in the same way the late Queen dealt with political scandals and family dramas.

“[The Queen] managed to navigate these choppy waters, and that’s why she was always admired and loved — because she got the family through,” says the source close to the royal household. “[Charles] will have to show that he can do that.”

A year ago, Prince Harry flew to London from his new home in California to attend the WellChild charity awards before flying to his Invictus Games in Germany.

On September 8, his beloved grandmother who sources say Harry was “especially close” to, died at Balmoral castle, aged 96. As the world learned of her death, it became immediately apparent that Harry was considered an outsider to the family, photographed apart from his father and brother, Prince William, and reportedly excluded from crucial conversations in the days that followed.

Prince Harry making his way to London following the death of his grandmother, the Queen. Photo / Getty Images

Since then, Prince Harry has released his memoir, Spare, which included a scathing recount of his father’s cold comfort over his mother, Princess Diana’s death. And his Netflix docuseries, Harry & Meghan served as an explosive attack on Charles, Camilla, William and Catherine, further ostricising the pair from the royal family.

Harry and Meghan released a tell-all docuseries on Netflix that did nothing to mend tensions with the royal family. Photo / Netflix

But as the family reflect on a year without their matriarch, could it signal a chance of a renewed relationship for the father and son?

Hardman also told People: “I’m impressed at how smoothly things are moving forward given all the little hiccups that there are in the background.”

However, earlier this week the Mail on Sunday claimed when the prince visits England this week, again for WellChild’s annual event, his father has made “no time in the diary” to see his son.

The claim may not come as a surprise as Prince Harry seemingly criticised the royal family again last week in his Netflix television series Heart of Invictus.