King Charles had to radically re-imagine his reign when Prince Harry stepped down as a senior working royal, an expert has said.
Royal historian Dr Ed Owens said it was Harry’s memoir Spare that ruined the father-son relationship ‘beyond repair’.
He said: “The story is a slightly tragic one as it has damaged this idea of a family monarchy. This idea that this is a united group who embody, if you like, the best of British family life.
“Originally King Charles III’s reign was going to be based around him being supported by his two trusty lieutenants — William and Harry. But when that went so disastrously wrong in early 2020 because of Harry and Meghan’s decision to leave Britain, it really put paid to that vision of the family monarchy.
“And then of course we’ve had the Sussexes airing their dirty laundry in public for the best part of three years — and again it has done much damage to that narrative of happy family life.
“King Charles is uniquely placed because he knows first-hand that the ideal of the family rarely matches the reality of the family monarchy.”
For all the latest updates, follow our live blog below.
