Prince Harry made a suggestion for restoring his good graces with the royal family that left the now-Queen Consort shocked, according to a new book.
When Harry suggested the use of a “mediator” to pave over his differences with then-Prince Charles, Camilla Parker Bowles, the Duchess of Cornwall, responded by “spluttering” into her tea, according to an excerpt of “The New Royals: Queen Elizabeth’s Legacy and the Future of the Crown” published by Vanity Fair on Tuesday.
The book, authored by journalist Katie Nicholl, cites unnamed royal insiders familiar with the inner workings of Buckingham Palace.
The meeting took place in the spring of 2022, weeks after a memorial service for the deceased Prince Philip that Harry had declined to attend.
Charles was “somewhat bemused” at Harry’s suggestion, which would’ve involved a third party in the relatively public dispute between the royals.
Camilla rejected that notion as “ridiculous,” insisting that the royals work out their differences personally and as a family, according to the excerpt.
Days after a meeting colored with “moments of tension,” Harry gave an NBC interview in which he expressed his desire to see his grandmother Queen Elizabeth II “protected” and surrounded by the right people.
This rankled the ire of some active, working royals, who interpreted his remarks as insulting to them, according to the excerpt.
Harry’s older brother, Prince William, is the most alienated from the dissident royal, according to the book.
Has Prince Harry disrespected the royal family?
“To this day, William still cannot forgive his brother,” Nicholl claimed, stating that the new heir to the throne was “relieved” when Harry departed Britain and took his tendency for interpersonal drama with him.
Palace sources cited in “The New Royals” also describe the unity of the United Kingdom as a matter of great concern to the new King.
Charles is worried about the Scottish independence movement. The United Kingdom is composed of England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.
“His absolute preoccupation is keeping the union intact,” a close friend was quoted as saying of Charles’ priority in the book.
“His view is that if he ends up being the King of England, then the kingdom would be diminished, and it would become a huge issue in terms of our global status.”
Harry’s relationship with the other royals became strained in the aftermath of his 2018 marriage to Meghan Markle.
Harry and Meghan subsequently moved to California and became full-time American residents, with the Duchess of Sussex making allegations of racism against an anonymous member of the royal family.
Harry was reportedly slighted in the queen’s funeral ceremonies, having initially been denied the opportunity to wear a military dress uniform before he was provided one missing Elizabeth’s royal cypher.
