King Charles ‘subtly punishing’ Prince Harry amid royal rift, royal expert claims

Things may never be the same for Prince Harry, King Charles and Prince William following Harry's constant attacks on the royal family. Photo / Getty Images

It seems King Charles and his estranged son Prince Harry are no closer to mending their relationship.

A royal expert has claimed the monarch is “subtly punishing” his son following Harry’s attacks on the royal family – particularly Queen Camilla – in his bombshell memoir Spare which was released earlier this year.

Speaking to The Sun, royal author Duncan Larcombe said: “It appears that King Charles’ approach towards Harry now is business as usual - ‘if you want to see me you need to make an appointment’.

“Harry will have to get past the grey suits and jump through hoops to talk to his father. It’s very standoffish but I think that’s a way that the king is subtly punishing his son.”

Despite attending his father's coronation in May, Charles and Harry's relationship remains fractured. Photo / AP

He claimed most of the king’s upset comes after Harry branded his stepmother “dangerous” and a “villain” in his memoir, saying she had played the long game to not only end up married to Charles but also end up Queen.

Harry also claimed in his book that he and his brother Prince William had “begged” their father not to go through with his second marriage.

Touching on Harry and William’s relationship – which has reportedly been fractured since Harry’s decision to resign from royal duties in 2020 when he and Meghan Markle relocated to America – Larcombe said the brothers’ “relationship is irretrievably broken”.

He further explained his claim, telling the UK news outlet, “I’m sure William is full of regret that things are the way they are, as they were once very close ... But Harry has offered up a betrayal that no brother should put up with.”

It comes after claims made to The Times earlier this year stated a reconciliation between the three male royals is not off the cards according to insiders.

“It’s fixable,’ they told news outlet. “Both sides need to hold their hands up and admit ‘we didn’t get everything right, and we got a lot wrong’ ... It’s going to take flexibility on all sides, but it can be done.”

The brothers have not been photographed together since Queen Elizabeth's funeral last year. Photo / AP

The insider continued to say if a reconciliation were to take place it would need to be in a room with the three men plus a couple of Harry’s “people” who he trusts so he doesn’t fall under the impression that he is being ambushed.

While the insider claimed the harder of the two relationships to mend would be between William and Harry, they stated William’s loyalty is to his country and he would reconcile if he believed it was the best option for the monarchy.

William and Harry’s relationship reportedly took a turn for the worst after the Duke of Sussex recalled an alleged fight he had with his brother that quickly turned physical in his memoir.

Describing a confrontation the brothers had in 2019, at Harry’s London home, the youngest of the brothers claimed William called Meghan “difficult, rude and abrasive” before the fight became more heated.

The duke went on to write that the Prince of Wales “grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and … knocked me to the floor”. Harry claimed the attack left him with visible injuries to his back.

A source close to William later spoke to The Sun claiming, “What Harry does not explain in the book is that the real reason William went to speak with him was to address allegations Meghan was mistreating and bullying staff.”