Some blame Prince Williams for the schism between Prince Harry and the rest of the Royal family. Others say King Charles III has opted to ostracize his son. There are even those who believe Meghan Markle’s media-hungry behavior is to blame for Harry’s situation. The truth, though, is that Harry is solely responsible for his fractured relationship with the King.
The complex dynamics between King Charles and Harry have deep roots in their shared history. As the younger son of Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales, Harry grew up in the spotlight but enjoyed certain freedoms his older brother William didn’t have as direct heir to the throne. This relative flexibility, combined with Diana’s influence in raising her sons to experience life beyond palace walls, helped shape Harry’s perspective on royal duty and family relationships.
The relationship between father and son weathered many storms, from the tragic loss of Princess Diana to Harry’s wild younger years and his eventual decision to step down as a senior royal. Even after Harry and Meghan’s explosive Oprah interview in 2021 and the release of Harry’s memoir Spare, which contained numerous criticisms of the royal family, King Charles maintained some level of communication with his younger son, demonstrating a father’s enduring hope for reconciliation. Sadly, Harry severed his relationship with his father once and for all due to a birthday phone call.
The phone call that shattered royal trust
What seemed like a heartwarming moment during King Charles’ 75th birthday celebration on November 14, 2023, would become a turning point in their relationship. During a private phone call, Prince Harry arranged for his children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, to record a sweet video singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to their grandfather.
However, within hours, details of this intimate family moment appeared in the press, allegedly leaked from the Sussex camp. As the Daily Mail‘s royal editor Rebecca English reported, this move “was considered to have crossed a line.” A palace source expressed their frustration to the publication, stating: “A deeply private call between the King and his grandchildren and it ends up in a newspaper the next day. Really?”
This breach of privacy proved to be the final straw for King Charles. For the royal family, private conversations represent one of their few remaining sanctuaries of normalcy in lives constantly exposed to public scrutiny. The leak was particularly concerning given the sensitive nature of communications with the British head of state.
The consequences of this betrayal of trust have been far-reaching. When King Charles was diagnosed with cancer in early 2024, Prince Harry reportedly learned about it just before the public announcement, indicating a significant shift in how sensitive family information is now shared with him. While other family members, particularly Prince William, had already distanced themselves from Harry following previous incidents, this birthday call leak marked a definitive change in Charles’s approach to his younger son. The trust has been severely damaged, and practical measures have been implemented to limit sensitive information sharing. Now, it’s hard to imagine any reconciliation is possible.