King Charles III is reportedly “refusing to take Prince Harry’s calls,” according to a friend of the Duke of Sussex, as the rift within the Royal Family continues to widen. Friends of Prince Harry claim that the King is no longer responding to his estranged son’s calls or letters, exacerbating the tension between them.
The last known meeting between the Duke and the monarch occurred in February, when they spoke for 45 minutes in London following the King’s cancer diagnosis. Since then, their communication has reportedly deteriorated, particularly amid escalating tensions over Prince Harry’s ongoing struggle for automatic security when he is in the UK.
During Prince Harry’s brief visit in May for the Invictus Games, King Charles did not meet him, citing a “full schedule.” This lack of communication has been troubling for Harry, who is reportedly “frightened” for the safety of his wife, Meghan Markle, and their children, Prince Archie, five, and Princess Lilibet, three.
Prince Harry has expressed fears for Meghan’s safety, stating, “It only takes one lone actor [who reads negative stories about Harry and Meghan in the press] with a knife or acid,” during the ITV documentary ‘Tabloids on Trial.’ He believes that King Charles has the authority to intervene in his ongoing court case with the Home Office regarding his security. According to sources quoted in People, the issue of security, which began as a point of frustration, has now led to “complete silence” between father and son.
“He gets ‘unavailable right now.’ His calls go unanswered. He has tried to reach out about the King’s health, but those calls go unanswered too,” shared a friend of Harry’s.
The Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec), which operates independently of the King and is part of the Home Office, makes decisions regarding the Duke of Sussex’s security. Despite this, Harry seems to believe that his father could influence the proceedings.
Prince Harry recently lost his High Court challenge in London against the UK Government over his right to state-funded police protection. He had told a judge that he did not feel safe bringing his children, Archie and Lilibet, to the UK without proper security and could not risk putting Meghan “in danger like that.” He feels “It’s still dangerous” to travel to the UK with his family because “all it takes is one lone actor” to harm them.