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King Charles reportedly urged not to answer Prince Harry’s calls and messages

The King has been privately encouraged to steer clear of his youngest son in recent months, it’s been claimed.

Prince William makes first public mention of Prince Harry in years

IN LONDON

There’s a key reason that King Charles has been hesitant to respond to Prince Harry’s attempts to reach out, it’s been claimed.

Royal biographer Robert Hardman reports that the monarch, 75, has been urged not to answer his son’s messages in order to keep his “stress levels down” as he continues battling cancer.

“I know people keep saying, ‘Why doesn’t he see Harry when he is in town? Why can’t they patch things up?’ Hardman told Fox News Digital.

“But right now, there is a sense that we’ve just got to keep the King’s stress levels down. We don’t want him to have extra things to worry about. Let’s get through this … There is a sense that now is probably not the time.

“If you listen to what Harry has said in his TV series, in his book, in interviews — there’s a lot to unpack. There are a lot of things he wants to get sorted out to go through to process … Right now, there’s a sense that it’s not the time. But I’m sure the king would like to normalise things.”

King Charles in Sydney last week. Picture: Brook Mitchell/Pool/AFP
King Charles in Sydney last week. Picture: Brook Mitchell/Pool/AFP
Harry returned to the UK for the WellChild Awards last month. Picture: Chris Jackson/Getty Images
Harry returned to the UK for the WellChild Awards last month. Picture: Chris Jackson/Getty Images

In July, sources close to Harry told People magazine that he was preparing to appeal a UK court’s ruling that upheld the decision to deny him police protection when he was back in his home country.

The Duke of Sussex’s taxpayer-funded security personal protective security was rescinded when he quit his role as a working royal in 2020, and has been fighting to have it returned in the years since.

An insider told People that Harry feels his father “could intervene”, and the issue plays a “crucial role” in the pair’s estrangement as their tense conversations have now resulted in “complete silence” from the King.

Harry’s relationship with his father and brother has been rocky in recent years. Picture: Chris Jackson/Getty Images
Harry’s relationship with his father and brother has been rocky in recent years. Picture: Chris Jackson/Getty Images

The duke has made several trips back to the UK this year.

He raced back to London for a whirlwind 24-hour trip to see his father after news of his cancer diagnosis broke in February and then returned for the milestone 10-year anniversary of St Invictus Games in May.

However, his spokesman confirmed at the time that while Harry had reached out, the King was too busy to see his son.

The duke was back in England for the memorial service of his late uncle, Lord Robert Fellowes, in late August and stayed with his mother’s brother, Earl Charles Spencer at Althorp.

Just one month later, Harry made the trip to London from his new home in California to present an award at the annual WellChild Awards, of which he is patron.

It’s understood that the February visit was the only occasion in which Harry saw his father.

The King, who just wrapped up a high-profile tour of Australia and Samoa, revealed earlier this year that he had been diagnosed with an undisclosed type of cancer. He has been undergoing weekly chemotherapy treatments ever since.

Originally published as King Charles reportedly urged not to answer Prince Harry’s calls and messages

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Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/celebrity-life/royals/king-charles-reportedly-urged-not-to-answer-prince-harrys-calls-and-messages/news-story/ae51831c4ede803756e3b3c890470369