Prince Harry’s quick trip to the UK last week to visit his ailing father, King Charles III, has sparked controversy and renewed tensions between the Sussexes and the rest of the royal family.
According to Daily express, Harry flew into the UK on Tuesday and had a brief 30-minute meeting with Charles at Windsor Castle before flying back to California the next morning. Royal biographer Tom Bower criticized the visit as a “PR stunt,” while others questioned Harry’s motivations and the brevity of the meeting given Charles’ recent cancer diagnosis.
“You can’t trust the Sussexes. Everything is done in their interest,” Bower said in an interview, calling the couple “poisonous” in their treatment of Britain and the monarchy. He speculated that Harry came not out of concern for his father but for publicity reasons or to gather material for his upcoming memoir.
The visit came shortly after excerpts from Harry’s memoir were leaked depicting his long-strained relationship with his brother William. In the excerpts, he recounts bitter fights between them and accuses William of physically attacking him in one instance. The leaks and subsequent publicity have widened the rift in the royal family.
Harry and Meghan’s popularity in the UK has also plummeted in recent years, with less than 25% of Britons now having a positive view of them. Their repeated public criticisms of the royal family, explosive TV interviews, and decision to step back from royal duties in 2020 generated substantial backlash among the British public.
“Harry and Meghan only have themselves to blame for the situation they are in, and they are two of the most unpopular figures in the UK today,” said royal commentator Richard Gardiner.
While Charles has gone from an unpopular “bad boy prince” to a widely respected monarch since becoming King, Camilla’s public image has also improved significantly. As Queen Consort, the once controversial Camilla has earned praise for her support of Charles and for taking on more prominent royal duties.
The tensions come at a difficult time for the House of Windsor. Charles’ illness has raised uncertainties about his ability to fully carry out his kingly obligations going forward. There is pressure on Prince William and other royals to take on more responsibilities, even as the Sussexes remain estranged from the family.
Royal expert Ingrid Seward noted that Charles was under considerable stress in the days before Harry’s visit, preparing for his first state opening of Parliament as King.
“I don’t think it went down very well,” Seward said of Harry’s visit. “I think the whole thing was just another excuse for more publicity.”
The episode seems to have only widened the rift between Harry and the royals. It remains to be seen whether fences can be mended, but as Bower noted, the Sussexes are currently “not welcome” in Britain due to the damage they’ve inflicted on the monarchy. Charles appears unwilling to indulge his son’s antics any longer as King.
With Harry’s memoir still yet to be released, more bombshells and royal family tensions could be in store this year. The public mood towards the Sussexes in Britain appears to have hardened. Unless Harry and Meghan change course, they may remain outsiders and outcasts from the House of Windsor for the foreseeable future.
