King Charles has been left “anxious and sad” by Prince Harry’s explosive claims over the course of the last few days – and wants reconciliation with his younger son, a US-based royal watcher has said. Hilary Fordwich was speaking after a tumultuous start to 2023 which has seen the Duke of Sussex claiming he was attacked by his brother Prince William in a furious row over his wife Meghan Markle, as well as that he had “begged” his father not to marry Camilla, now Queen Consort.
The cascade of revelations is contained in Harry’s new memoir, Spare, published yesterday, with the 38-year-old having discussed the book’s content in a series of high-profile interviews, including with ITV’s Tom Bradby and CBS’s Anderson Cooper and Stephen Colbert.
One of Harry’s central complaints relates to his claims that members of the Royal Family have been leaking negative stories about him and his wife Meghan Markle to the British press.
However, Ms Fordwich pointed out to CNN’s Amara Walker that there was no actual proof that this had actually happened.
She explained: “If you look at everything that’s come out with regard to the book, Netflix, everything, have we heard one word formally from the Palace?
“No, and there actually hasn’t been anything that anybody can quote that’s first-hand that they’ve said.
“All we’re doing is witnessing what Prince Harry is saying, and he’s saying all these things.
“It is unfortunately rather one-sided. One thing I will say is that what we don’t hear publicly but that is being said, and you can really see it on their faces, is that prince Charles is on the outside coping very well, but anxious and sad.”
Ms Fordwich referred to remarks by Jonathan Dimbleby, the King’s biographer and friend, who has gone on record as saying 73-year-old Charles was “saddened” by recent events.
She added: “King Charles is a very gentle soul who wants to be reconciled with his son.”
Ms Fordwich suggested the British royals were unlikely to respond in the short term.
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“There may be a subtle, discreet and taking-the-high-road comment.”
Speaking to Colbert on CBS’s The Late Show, last night, Harry said he had been the “most vulnerable I have ever been in my life” by writing his memoir Spare.
He also believed he had seen his mother Diana, Princess of Wales, “a handful of times” after her death.
Speaking about his mother, the Duke said: “For many years I had dreams – I was convinced she was still alive.”
Asked if he thought he had seen her in certain places, Harry replied: “Only a handful of times.”
The Duke then said society at large was “not exactly encouraged to grieve”, before adding: “I, through this book, have been the most vulnerable I have ever been in my life – and I’ve never felt stronger.”
