Prince Harry’s relationship with the royal family has reached a breaking point.
According to sources in PEOPLE’s exclusive cover story, Harry’s attempts to communicate with his brother, Prince William, are also ignored.
The split with Prince William is “very bad,” according to a royal insider, but it is not “irreparable.”
In September 2022, William, 42, and Harry, 39, stood together with their wives, Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle, outside Windsor Castle to mourn Queen Elizabeth’s death.
In May 2023, Harry sat two rows behind his brother William and his family, watching King Charles’ coronation. Meghan stayed in the United States for Prince Archie’s birthday.
According to reports, the brothers’ schism started in 2016 when William expressed reservations about Harry’s rapid progress with Meghan. In his biography Spare, Harry acknowledged the tensions in his relationship with William, despite the public impression of closeness. Harry described William as both his “beloved brother and arch nemesis,” recalling verbal and physical confrontations between them.
In May, Prince Harry came to the United Kingdom for the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games, but did not meet with his father or brother. The Duke of Sussex’s spokeswoman explained that Harry’s lack of interaction with the King was due to the King’s “full schedule.”However, those close to Harry suggest a deeper issue.
The Duke of Sussex wanted to talk about his ongoing battle for security, which he has been fighting in court for almost four years and feels his father, the King, 75, has the authority to reinstate. (Buckingham royal will not comment on security arrangements, but a royal source tells PEOPLE that the idea that Harry’s security is in Charles’ hands is “wholly incorrect.”)
The schism that first surfaced in 2020, when Prince Harry and Meghan, 42, stepped down from their royal positions, has been marred by scathing criticism and unresolved conflicts. Security, however, is the most important problem for Harry, according to many well-placed individuals in his entourage.
Communication between the father and son has worsened since their cordial encounter in February after King Charles’ cancer diagnosis. According to some close to Harry, the monarch no longer answers his son’s phone calls or responds to letters.
“He gets ‘unavailable right now,’ ” Harry’s friend says. “His calls go unanswered.” He has tried to contact the King concerning his health, but his calls have also gone unanswered.”
Despite the distance, the Duke of Sussex is anxious for the safety of his wife and children, Prince Archie, 5, and Princess Lilibet, 3. He has frequently requested his father for assistance, according to reports.
“Harry is frightened and feels the only person who can do anything about it is his father,” according to a royal insider. Another insider close to the incident said, “Harry is determined to protect his own family at all costs.”
What is preventing Harry from obtaining the protection he desires is a source of great disagreement. The sovereign has no governmental power in the United Kingdom, and the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (RAVEC), which acts on behalf of the government, has the authority to grant police protection. However, Harry, whose offer to personally cover the expense of police security was also denied in court, believes that as King, Charles can intercede to ensure that such protection is provided.
In January 2020, the Sandringham Summit determined the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s status as non-working royals. Prince Harry left the meeting, attended by future King Charles, Prince William, Queen Elizabeth, and palace staff, confident that their security would be maintained during the transition. Court documents also show that the Queen, who died on September 8, 2022, at the age of 96, considered it “imperative” for Prince Harry and Meghan to have “effective security” following their departure. Despite this, Harry was informed a few weeks later that their police protection had been discontinued.
“The Queen made it clear that effective security was necessary due to the threats against them, but somewhere along the line there was interference,” a palace insider said.
With both sides firmly entrenched — and Harry’s brother William obviously sided with their father — any chance of reconciliation seemed remote at best.
According to sources close to the palace, Harry’s memoir Spare and public appearances have eroded the family’s trust in him. Others close to the Duke of Sussex argue that if he had adequate security, he would not be required to speak publicly in order to help pay for it. If the security issue is overcome, the buddy says, “it’s’swords down,'” and nothing “would give [Harry] more happiness than being able to rekindle his bond with his father.”