While King Charles and Prince Harry are reportedly no longer on talking terms, with Harry claiming earlier this month that the monarch “won’t speak” to him, the father and son did once seem to share a close bond. Despite having always been a workaholic, the King, 76, is believed to have always found time for his two sons, especially after the death of their mother Princess Diana in 1997.
It was also always clear that the monarch had a lot of love for both Prince Harry, 40, and Prince William, 42, taking measures to ensure they had the help and support they needed. While they were at boarding school, Charles would reportedly send letters to them both to keep up a steady stream of communication.
He also had a very affectionate two-word nickname for his youngest son Harry, which he was still using just a few years ago.
As heard various times, the monarch would call Harry his “darling boy” – a nickname that began in the prince’s childhood.
Harry recalled being called this by a father a lot in his bombshell memoir Spare, published in 2023, including when he was being told about his mother’s death.
The prince said his father told him: “Mummy was quite badly injured and taken to a hospital, darling boy.”
Harry then wrote: “He always called me ‘darling boy,’ but he was saying it quite a lot now. His voice was soft. He was in shock, it seemed.”
The King also called Harry “darling boy” in 2017 when the prince guest-edited Radio 4’s Today programme.
Harry interviewed his father – who was Prince of Wales at the time – for the show and spoke to him about climate change, a topic Charles is very passionate about.
The Duke of Sussex said in the interview: “In order for us to make our mark on this planet and in order to be able to preserve it then we have to a) work together but b) also look after nature and allow it to give us those clues that you so rightly talk about.”
Charles then replied: “Well, darling boy, it makes me very proud to think that you understand.”