Prince Harry’s relationship with the King has become so distant, he remains in the dark about his estranged father’s cancer battle, it has been claimed. Both father and son were in the UK together at the same time last week after Harry jetted to London to attend a two-day court hearing amid his legal battle over his UK security arrangements.
However, the pair, who have a fragile bond, did not meet and have not seen each other face-to-face in more than a year since Charles revealed his cancer diagnosis. Since then, it is believed the relationship between them has become even more ‘distant’ with it reported that Harry’s calls and letters to his father are “going unanswered”.
When the King had a short stay in hospital last month after suffering side effects from his cancer treatment, it was said that Harry only found out about it on the news like everyone else. And now, according to PEOPLE magazine, Harry also has not been told about his father’s current condition or prognosis.
So-called friends of the prince told the publication that Charles has been ‘unavailable’ during Harry’s last three visits to the UK – and his most recent visit last week came after the court date had been scheduled for months. A palace source said: “I don’t think there is any rapprochement”, while another added: “They are distant”. The Mirror has contacted Buckingham Palace for comment.
It comes as Harry has been challenging the dismissal of his High Court claim against the Home Office over the decision that he should receive a different degree of taxpayer-funded police protection when in the UK. In February 2020, the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec) decided that the duke and his family should receive a different degree of protection when in the country after they moved to the US.
The Duke previously argued he wanted his children Prince Archie, five, and Princess Lilibet, three, to know their UK heritage but cannot bring them or wife Meghan to his home country as he does not feel it is safe for them without police protection.
Speaking after the hearing last week, Harry suggested the decision regarding the change in his security was an attempt to prevent him and wife Meghan from quitting as working royals and moving abroad – which Buckingham Palace sources have strongly denied. It is said Harry believes his dad could help to have this reinstated, although this has been dismissed as “wholly inaccurate” by a palace source.
As the Duke of Sussex settles down to life in the US alongside Meghan Markle, the Mirror has launched its very own Royal WhatsApp community where you’ll get all the latest news on the UK’s most famous family.
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Now it is reported that friends close to Harry believe the King is keeping his distance in a bid to not be drawn into any conversations about Harry’s security. PEOPLE reports that another source said a distinction could be made between personal and official duties, but things between father and son had been “febrile for a while”.
During the hearing into Harry’s security arrangements last week, some arguments were heard in private to hear confidential evidence. Harry was allowed to stay in court when the confidential matters were discussed. Speaking to The Telegraph after leaving the Royal Courts of Justice, he claimed “people would be shocked by what’s being held back” adding that his “worst fears have been confirmed by the whole legal disclosure in this case and that’s really sad”.
The appeal comes after retired High Court judge Sir Peter Lane ruled last year that Ravec’s decision, taken in early 2020 after Harry and Meghan quit as senior working royals, was lawful. The Home Office, which has legal responsibility for the committee’s decisions, is opposing the appeal, with its lawyers previously telling the High Court that decisions were taken on a “case-by-case” basis.
Harry also admitted he was ‘exhausted’ and ‘overwhelmed’ by the legal battle and suggested he considered the case his most important, saying “this one always mattered the most”. At the end of the hearing last Wednesday, Judge Sir Geoffrey Vos said the Court of Appeal’s decision would be given in writing at a later date, which was “most unlikely” to be before Easter.
As the Duchess of Sussex moves on from her Netflix show with her new podcast, the Mirror has launched its very own Royal WhatsApp community where you’ll get all the latest news on the UK’s most famous family.
We’ll send you the latest breaking updates and exclusives all directly to your phone. Users must download or already have WhatsApp on their phones to join in.
All you have to do to join is click on this link, select ‘Join Chat’ and you’re in! We may also send you stories from other titles across the Reach group.
We will also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose Exit group. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
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