Evil stepmothers are not only a Disney trope, as Queen Camilla has been reportedly working against King Charles III and Prince Harry’s reconciliation.
Prince Harry’s relationship with the Royal Family has been strained since he departed from official royal duties in 2020. The situation has only intensified following the release of his memoir, Spare, and various interviews in which he made controversial statements about his family members. Despite these challenges, there have been signs of bridges being rebuilt, particularly in light of King Charles’ recent cancer diagnosis.
The perfect opportunity for a happy reconciliation will arise this week. The Duke of Sussex is scheduled to arrive in London on Monday to attend the WellChild Awards, an event close to his heart that honors seriously ill children. That means Harry and the king will be only a few kilometers away and could meet to hash out some lingering disagreements together if they wish. This would be the perfect follow-up after their quick encounter in February 2024, when the prince rushed back to the U.K. upon learning of his father’s health condition.
Why is Queen Camilla working against a Royal reconciliation?
According to sources close to the royal household, Queen Camilla is reportedly advising King Charles against meeting with Prince Harry during his upcoming visit. Her primary concern appears to be the King’s health and well-being as he continues to undergo cancer treatment. An insider revealed to The Daily Beast that Queen Camilla has been “the principal voice urging Charles to slow down and take things easy.” The source added, “The last thing she wants him to do is to get stressed out over a meeting with Harry.”
While the Queen’s motivations might come from a good place, that wouldn’t be the first time she sows dissent among the Royals. Furthermore, even if the King’s health is of the utmost importance, the monarch won’t have another chance to mend the fences with his son anytime soon, especially considering the ongoing legal dispute involving Prince Harry and security services in the United Kingdom. So, Queen Camilla’s meddling is ill-timed, at best.
Despite Queen Camilla whispering in his ear, King Charles might still be leaning towards the meeting with Prince Harry. Another insider source has underlined that King Charles has “an instinctive impulse towards Christian reconciliation,” further emphasized by his cancer diagnosis – mortality has a funny way of draining meaning from petty peeves. In addition, this source claims that the King “wants this settled, not just because he loves both his sons, but because it has been so destabilizing for the monarchy.”
Given this complicated background, it’s no wonder Royal enthusiasts are counting the seconds before Sept. 30. We might be on the verge of an unprecedented event in the Royals’ history.