Prince Harry and King Charles have had a frosty relationship since the “Spare” author moved to Montecito, California, with wife Meghan Markle in 2020.
And don’t look for things to warm up between HRH and the erstwhile Duke of Sussex anytime soon, says one royal expert — not even after recently announced “peace talks,” set to go down next month.
Publicist Matt Yanofsky told the Mirror that the so-called summit seems to be more a PR move than a genuine meeting, and to expect little more than just another episode in the royal family’s dramatic “soap opera.”
“Only the men in that room know what will happen, but from a public relations standpoint, the royal family depends on storylines to stay in the news, especially when the public’s approval of the royals is in decline,” Yanofsky explained.
“This is another story point … which is great for the entire family [and the viewers at home],” he continued.
Charles, 74, and Harry, 38, are slated to meet on Sept. 17 for a father-son chat. Markle, 42, is not expected to join them for the olive-branch-offering exercise.
“King Charles is due to return to London from Balmoral [Castle] in the middle of September, which ties in with the end of Harry’s Invictus Games trip to Dusseldorf,” a source told the UK’s OK! Magazine earlier this month.
“The king has a rescheduled official visit to France on Sept. 20, so [he] has a few days to spare in London to meet with his son. Staff are trying to fine-tune the details as we speak,” they continued.
“If the talks take place, the king will make it very clear that there will be absolutely no private family business discussed in public moving forward,” the insider alleged.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be out together on Sept. 9 to host the Invictus Games in Düsseldorf, Germany. The sports games will run through the 16th.
It’s no secret that there’s been tension between Harry and his family in recent years, especially following the January release of his tell-all memoir, in which he alleged his father branded him the “spare” since birth.
OK!’s source said the monarch was particularly upset by Harry’s portrayal of his wife, Queen Camilla, 76, in the best-selling book.
Harry claimed Camilla “sacrificed me on her personal PR altar.”
It was reported on Aug. 19 that the sovereign will hold a meeting at Balmoral Castle with his eldest son, Prince William, and William’s wife, Kate Middleton, to map out the royal family’s future, the Mirror reported.
“His Majesty is very clear. The Commonwealth must be at the very heart of his reign,” a source spilled to the publication.
“He sees it as his utmost duty to fulfill the sincere wish of his late mother [Queen Elizabeth], that one of his central roles must be to ensure not only the survival but the robustness [of the organization],” they divulged.