King Charles skips seeing Prince Harry again, highlighting their deepening estrangement.
The rift between King Charles and Prince Harry appears to have widened yet again, with the monarch choosing to spend time in Italy instead of seeing his estranged son during his latest trip to London.
The Duke of Sussex, who is currently embroiled in a legal battle over taxpayer-funded security, arrived in the UK this week—but the monarch was already overseas on an official estate visit to Italy alongside Queen Camilla.
Royal commentator Russell Myers highlighted the “striking difference” between the two royal figures, painting a stark contrast between the King’s life of public duty and humour, and Harry’s path of legal disputes and growing isolation from the Firm.
Embed from Getty Images“Together with the Queen by his side, they have genuinely looked like they’re having a lot of fun this week,” Myers told The Mirror, referring to King Charles and Queen Camilla’s Italian tour. “It’s no coincidence Camilla told reporters travelling with them that the secret to their marriage was ‘laughing at the same things’.”
According to Myers, their light-hearted demeanour on tour is a reflection of unity and contentment within their royal role. But the story couldn’t be more different for Prince Harry.
The royal expert pointed to the “continued hyperbolic language” used by the Duke’s legal team in his ongoing appeal for government-funded security—a case that has already cost an estimated £1.5 million.
“For better or worse, Harry chose to leave his role within the royal family in search of a better life for his family by moving to the United States,” Myers said. “But his efforts to fight battles—whether against his family, the government, or anyone who’s irked him that week—have left him increasingly isolated.”
Prince Harry has not seen his father for over 14 months, despite visiting the UK on multiple occasions. Myers claims the Duke has repeatedly declined offers to stay in royal residences, a move that could have allowed for a quiet meeting with the ailing King. Instead, observers speculate that accepting such hospitality might undermine his legal position in the security case.
“The difference in these two worlds is so striking,” Myers remarked. “It’s barely believable how far Harry has fallen—from being the most popular royal, adored by everyone from lads in the pub to the troops he served with and your granny—to now being defined by court appearances and estrangement.”
The situation lays bare the complexity of Prince Harry’s transformation since stepping back from royal duties in 2020. Once hailed as the people’s prince, his move to California with Meghan Markle was initially seen as a step towards freedom and privacy. But his continued legal wranglings, alongside strained relations with both his father and brother, have only sharpened public scrutiny.
Meanwhile, King Charles and Queen Camilla’s Italian engagements have been filled with smiles and goodwill. During their trip, Camilla candidly shared with reporters that the secret to their lasting bond is shared laughter—a sharp contrast to Harry’s frosty relations and public silence on the state of his family ties.
As the King embraces his role with quiet confidence and light-hearted humour, Harry remains locked in a struggle that’s both personal and political—one that continues to keep him at odds with the royal institution he once symbolised.
With no sign of reconciliation in sight, the space between father and son appears only to grow—geographically, emotionally, and philosophically.
