The relationship between King Charles and Prince Harry has not been easy in the last few years. And now, as the first glimmer of reconciliation has emerged due to aides from the two meeting last month and the possibility of a face-to-face meeting between father and son in the cards, a new tell-all book could bring all of that crashing down.
Former royal butler Grant Harrold’s book, literally called The Royal Butler, is full of details about the behind-the-scenes interactions between the royals. Harrold worked as a valet to King Charles, Queen Camilla, and Charles’ kids, Prince Harry and Prince William, for years, so if anyone would have inside information, it’s him. But what is Harrold saying? Well, for one, he’s claiming that William and Harry were actually happy about King Charles’ wedding to Queen Camilla, which contradicts Prince Harry’s memoir, Spare.
Related: Here’s what each royal inherited from Queen Elizabeth
“The four of them, I promise you, got on so well,” he wrote. “And that’s why I don’t understand what Harry’s said, I really don’t understand. Because I saw them. I saw them having dinners together, I saw them having drinks together, I saw them going to parties together.”
It’s no coincidence that the book is being released now, according to sources. Rob Shuter’s Shuter Scoop cited a palace insider as saying King Charles is using the book to “counterattack” Harry. “This is Charles hitting back,” they told the gossip columnist. “Harrold’s book is a direct counterattack on Harry. It’s basically saying: don’t believe him, believe me.”
And if reports are to be believed, Harry knows it. “He knows it’s a takedown. This is the King using loyal old staff to trash his story and make him look bitter and dishonest.”
The Royal Butler: My Remarkable Life in Royal Service
Ironically, this all comes after Prince Harry publicly pleaded for a reconciliation. He said in a BBC interview a few months ago, “I would love reconciliation with my family,” explaining that, “There’s no point continuing to fight anymore. Life is precious. I don’t know how much longer my father has. He won’t speak to me because of this security stuff [the Sussex family is entitled to in the U.K.], but it would be nice to reconcile.”
According to People, the meeting between their aides was a big step. “This kind of dialogue hasn’t taken place in the recent past—and now, lines of communication appear to be reopening,” the outlet said, adding that, “It’s a positive step,” and, “There’s optimism that it can be taken forward.” And some reports indicate this could even come to include Prince William, too.
However, a source told The Mirror that the reconciliation is indeed happening between father and son in September, but William is purposefully avoiding his brother at all costs. According to a source, there is “determination on both sides to make [a reunion] happen.”
“Nobody is pretending the wider family issues have been resolved, but this is about beginning with Charles and Harry,” the source said, saying that it’s “the right time to take that step” with “a simple face-to-face conversation between a father and son.”
The source said, “This is not about grand gestures or set-piece meetings. … The priority is privacy and dignity, but also ensuring the door stays open for further dialogue.
“As for Harry and William, though, any chance of reconciliation between them has been rejected out of hand,” the insider continued.
The surprising development could come due to King Charles’ health. A source recently told Parade that concern about their father’s poor health might end up being the thing that finally breaks the ice between the brothers, who both know the loss of a parent all too well. “King Charles really isn’t doing well,” the insider said, adding that the King’s health has been “deteriorating more.”
“It wouldn’t be surprising if William and Harry reconnected a bit more over this,” the source added. “This could be the thing that pushes it to happen.”
Whether this book throws a wrench in that possible reconciliation or not, we’ll have to wait and see.