Harry/Charles rift: Healing still far off but there’s hope

Prince Harry's ongoing rift with his father, King Charles, seems far from healing "anytime soon," according to royal expert Robert Hardman. 

The Duke of Sussex and his wife Meghan Markle have been estranged from the Royal Family since they left their royal duties and moved to the US in 2020. 

Their relationship with the Firm deteriorated further after making several claims against the royals through TV interviews, their Netflix docuseries ‘Harry & Meghan’, and Prince Harry’s memoir ‘Spare.’

Robert Hardman, speaking at the Hay Festival in Wales, explained, “The problem that exists is, at the moment, there is still a trust issue. 

People are still very wounded, particularly Prince William, that these intimate private childhood family moments all spilt out in Harry’s book.” 

Hardman added, “It’s not what Harry said, it’s the fact that he said it, and he gave away so many secrets.”

Despite hope for reconciliation following the King’s cancer diagnosis earlier this year, Hardman believes it won’t happen soon as “people are wounded” and trust is lacking. 

“There he is, he’s got two sons, one he hardly sees, and two grandchildren he’s barely ever seen,” Hardman noted, highlighting the monarch's "unhappiness" with the ongoing row.

However, there might be a glimmer of hope. 

Hardman suggested Prince Harry could start normalizing the relationship by visiting the UK privately with Meghan and their children. “Once that happens, it’s not such big news when it happens again. Then you start to get somewhere.”

Prince Harry’s brief visit to the UK in February, following the King's diagnosis, was seen as a positive step. 

“I love my family,” Prince Harry said in an interview on ‘Good Morning America.’ “The fact that I was able to get on a plane and go and see him and spend any time with him, I’m grateful for that.”

While significant healing remains elusive, these small steps might pave the way for future reconciliation.