Royal Insider Says Harry's Rift With Charles Has Deepened Amid Legal Battle: 'They Are Distant...'

A royal insider recently provided fresh insight into Prince Harry's relationship with his father, King Charles. Contrary to what many had hoped, time hasn't healed past scars; instead, the rift has only grown. As people awaited a reconciliation, the King refused to meet Harry yet again when he was in London for his court hearing on April 8.

As reported by People magazine, a source claimed that Harry’s bond with the royal family, particularly with his father, remains tense amid his ongoing battle over security. The person said, “I don’t think there is any rapprochement. Nothing has changed.” Another source added, “They are distant.” Harry, who spent much time going back and forth in court, believes that the loss of his royal security was a planned move by Charles to keep him and Markle from leaving the UK.

As some of Charles’s advisers are linked to RAVEC, the group that’s refusing to give Harry royal protection, the Duke believes that his father could easily step in and help, but is simply choosing not to. Harry previously stated that getting the security back is paramount for him as it will help keep his wife, Meghan Markle, and their kids, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, safe. Harry reportedly wishes that Archie and Lilibet visit and get to know their cousins in the UK.

People close to Harry have further claimed that the Prince has tried reaching his dad via calls and letters, but never gets a reply. Commenting on why the King is choosing to stay distant, royal author Sally Bedell Smith said, “[The legal battle] puts Harry in direct contact with the people who are carrying out the King’s orders. If his father were to say something, even seemingly innocuous, it could end up landing in the middle of the court case.” Harry hopes for reconciliation, but trust is a big issue. The fallout from his memoir, Spare, still affects his relationships within the royal family.

Harry only met his father after the Queen's passing, Charles' subsequent coronation, and after his cancer diagnosis, which lasted only 30 minutes. As per reports, they haven’t seen each other since. Harry’s relationship with his brother, Prince William, is also equally strained, with little contact between them now. As per The Mirror US, a source said, “Some of us saw Harry being so close to his brother as a gesture of saying, 'Hey, I am here, close by... what about us trying to work things out'? The sad thing is that many of us, within Harry's friends' circles, feel he wants to somehow make peace and return to talking terms."