Prince Harry has publicly expressed a desire to heal the fractured relationship with King Charles and other members of the Royal Family, often referred to as The Firm. However, a recently uncovered private exchange with Princess Eugenie, one of his closest royal relatives, suggests that underlying tensions remain unresolved.
Last week, a significant peace meeting between senior aides for both King Charles and Harry made headlines, signaling potential steps toward reconciliation. This meeting followed the Duke of Sussex’s explosive BBC interview, in which he revealed that his father “won’t speak to him,” citing disputes surrounding his security arrangements while in the UK.
Harry has spoken candidly about the family rift, stating: “There is no point in continuing to fight anymore, life is precious.” Amid these reflections, he also mentioned concerns over King Charles’ health, referring to an alleged cancer diagnosis and saying, “I don’t know how much longer my father has.”
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Despite his willingness to forgive and move forward, predicated on the hope of reconciliation, Harry’s frustration was visibly apparent during King Charles’ Coronation in 2023. According to a lip-reading expert featured in the Channel 5 programme Lip-Reading The Royals: The Secret Conversations, Harry quietly confronted Princess Eugenie with a revealing statement.
Isolated on the steps of Westminster Abbey, having returned to Britain without his wife Meghan Markle and their children, Harry seemed emotionally distant. Approaching Princess Eugenie, he reportedly said, “I’ve spent five hours with my dad in his office and not a friendly text from either,” highlighting the lack of contact from senior family members.
It remains unclear whether this absence of communication was from King Charles and Camilla or from Prince William and Kate, but the message underscores a long-standing communication breakdown within the family.
Harry then asked Eugenie, “Why hasn’t anybody contacted me?” to which she responded with a cautious, sympathetic smile, offering no direct answer.
This poignant moment adds to the narrative of unresolved tension within the Royal Family, despite public overtures toward healing.
The Channel 5 documentary also revisited an earlier private conversation between Harry and Meghan during the 2018 Service of Remembrance, six months after their wedding. Lip-reading expert Nicola Hickling interpreted Meghan urging Harry to “take advantage of the situation,” hinting at their future plans.
Harry’s questions, such as “Today?” followed by Meghan’s reply, “Do it tonight,” and their exchange about “the end,” suggest that the Sussexes had contemplated their break from royal duties long before their official announcement.
Together, these moments reveal that while public displays may show progress toward reconciling royal differences, private interactions underline deep-rooted challenges that continue to complicate the family’s relationships.