As the dust settles on Prince Harry‘s 40th birthday celebrations, all eyes are now turning to his upcoming visit to the United Kingdom, scheduled for September 30. This visit presents a potential opportunity for reconciliation between the Duke of Sussex and his father, King Charles III. However, the path to peace may not be as straightforward as some might hope.
On September 15, Prince Harry marked his milestone 40th birthday, an occasion that saw a surprising public acknowledgment from the Royal Family. King Charles III reportedly made a personal effort to reach out to his son on this special day, with royal correspondent Katie Nicholl revealing that sources close to the monarch “insist” that Charles called Harry, aiming to keep their relationship “back on track.” Despite this apparent olive branch, the relationship between father and son remains unstable.
Prince Harry has the power to save his father from public accusations… or not
The upcoming WellChild Awards in London, where Prince Harry is set to be the guest of honor, could provide a unique opportunity for a face-to-face meeting. However, royal experts suggest that such a reunion may not materialize easily. British broadcaster Helena Chard claims King Charles is “thoroughly fed up with Prince Harry assuming that he can [manage] his security requests.” This sentiment underscores the ongoing tension surrounding Harry’s security arrangements in the UK, a point of contention that has persisted since he departed from royal duties in 2020.
Due to this complicated context, royal followers are already accusing King Charles III of only wishing his son a happy birthday because Harry has completed four decades on Earth. If that’s the case, King Charles’ wishes were nothing more than a formality, not a gesture of good faith as it suggests that he will be wishing his son on his birthday again after 10 years when he turns 50. That’s not a good look for Charles, especially since public opinion has swayed in favor of Harry, particularly among younger Britons.
A recent Ipsos poll revealed that 46 percent of respondents aged 18 to 35 favor Harry’s long-term return to royal duties. So, if King Charles III wants to keep in Britons’ hearts and minds, he must squelch the accusation of a fake birthday wish, something he could do by simply meeting Harry on September 30. Well, the rumor is that he is indeed looking for a “mutually agreeable” time to make that happen. The question now is whether Harry will use this newfound power to get closer to his royal family or reinforce the fences that keep them apart.
There’s a lot of bad blood between Prince Harry and King Charles. Harry’s relationship with the royal family has been strained since his decision to step back from royal duties and move to California with his wife, Meghan Markle. Subsequent interviews and Harry’s memoir, Spare, have further complicated matters, airing private family grievances in public. Still, father and son have a unique opportunity to end the family feud and go back to washing their dirty laundry privately – or at least asking a servant to do that for them. September 30 will be a decisive date for the royals.
Published: Sep 21, 2024 08:14 am