As Prince Harry seeks to reconcile with King Charles, rumours persist that his relationship with his elder brother remains frosty – and this is certainly not the first time things have been tense between the two
King Charles and Prince William have been overheard having “angry rows”(Image: Getty Images)
Recent whispers and reports have hinted at occasional tension between Prince William and King Charles.
While some Royal insiders have dismissed the claims that the monarch and his heir are currently not on good terms, more than one has conceded that over the years, things have been somewhat strained between them – even though they agree on most issues.
One expert recently disclosed that “angry rows” have been overheard by Royal staff between the father and son – even through the “thick palace walls”.
These rumours emerge as the Duke of Sussex is finally starting the reconciliation process with Charles, with whom relations had been frosty for a while, although no such reunion appears likely between Harry and his elder brother yet.
The relationship between Charles and William has not always been smooth, Royal expert, Rebecca English, explained in her piece for the Mail Online. The bitter end of Charles’ first marriage to William’s mother, Princess Diana, caused ongoing tension between the father and son over the years, reports the Mirror.
Considering the challenges the late Diana faced during her life, and her heartbreak over Charles’s continuous relationship with Camilla during their marriage, this is perhaps not unexpected.
“Harsh words have been exchanged in the past, angry rows permeating even the thickest castle walls, sometimes within earshot of staff,” the expert writes.
“There have also been clashes of opinion on the professional side, such as the retention of ivory treasures in the Royal Collection (William wants to burn them, Charles believes they should be kept as historical artefacts), which not so long ago resulted in a ‘frank’ exchange.”
A Royal aide, speaking anonymously to the Standard, recently echoed these sentiments, noting that William and Charles have long had a “tricky relationship”.
So much so that “William never phones his Dad directly but has to schedule a call through the King’s private office”.
Buckingham Palace declined to comment when contacted by the Mirror.
In Prince Harry’s explosive memoir Spare, he also highlighted that seeing his father and brother getting along rather than “squabbling” was a stand-out moment, when he met up with them after Prince Philip’s funeral, and only weeks after his and Meghan’s explosive sit-down with Oprah Winfrey.
However, English reports sources telling the Mail that William and Charles are not getting on any worse than usual, and that they might not see each other with great regularity, “but they never have” and are in “lockstep about the future of the monarchy”.