Prince Charles challenges Harry’s racism claim over Archie, denies financially cutting them off

Prince Charles is reportedly reeling over claims made by his son and daughter-in-law, with a palace insider saying trust has been broken.

Prince Charles has challenged claims he financially cut Prince Harry and Meghan Markle off, with a royal insider saying he “went out of his way to make sure his son and daughter-in-law were financially supported.”

During their bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey, Prince Harry said his father stopped taking his calls, financially cut him off for a period in early 2020, and the family’s security detail.

Now, a royal insider told the Evening Standard that Charles feels “let down” by the allegations, and that he “supported the duke and duchess more than he would care to say.”

Prince Charles walked Meghan Markle down the aisle on her wedding day. Picture: BBC

“Yes, you could say the boss feels let down by what the Sussexes have said,” the insider said.

The comments came as Prince Charles made his first public appearance following the bombshell tell-all interview going to air.

The Duke of Cornwall stepped out on Tuesday local time to visit an NHS vaccination centre, but royal aides refused to allow questions from the media.

At the centre of the interview’s fallout are claims that a senior member of the royal family rose questions over the darkness of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s son, Archie.

The insider strongly refuted the allegations of racism, saying, “It goes against everything the Prince of Wales believes in.”

Prince Charles reportedly feels “let down” by the claims Meghan and Harry lobbed against him. Picture: Chris Jackson/Getty

The insider also said the biggest challenge facing the family now will be rebuilding trust.

“This incendiary interview has caused pain and division. Trust is an issue.

“For Harry to say he feels ‘let down’ seems a little rich when you consider what he has done. The Duke of Sussex continues to say he respects his grandmother, but he has ridden roughshod over the institution she represents.”

CHARLES ‘IN A STATE OF DESPAIR’

Prince Charles is “in a state of despair” following Prince Harry’s damning assessment of their relationship, a friend close to the royal says.

”Harry was emailing his father to justify why he and Meghan had done the interview,” Vanity Fair reported, adding, “Charles was said to be ‘in a state of despair’ according to a friend.”

Sources told Vanity Fair that both Prince Charles and Prince William “are very concerned” by claims made by Meghan and Harry in the interview, and while they plan to respond they will reportedly take their time “and choose their words carefully.”

Royal author Sarah Gristwood said the revelation Prince Harry had felt let down by his father in his time of need would not only have been “hard for Charles to hear,” but could also risk his future as King.

Prince Charles and Prince William are reportedly “very concerned” by the claims Prince Harry made in his interview with Oprah. Picture: Phil Harris / AFP

“Now, just at a time when by and large Charles had started to look more like a popular king than one would have guessed, here’s a major blow to his reputation … that his son felt let down by him,” she said.

“It’s hard to know if Harry is aware of the damage this has done. Did he actually intend to cast this damaging light on his father and his family? We don’t know.”

Prior to the couple stepping back from royal life, Prince Harry and his father had enjoyed a close relationship, with Prince Charles even walking Meghan down the aisle at the couple’s 2018 wedding.

HARRY SAYS CHARLES ‘STOPPED TAKING MY CALLS’

Prince Harry says his father stopped speaking to him just days before he and wife Meghan Markle announced they were stepping down as senior members of the royal family.

Prince Charles “stopped taking my calls”, Harry said in his bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey, explaining that while he and wife Meghan Markle were holidaying in Canada in December 2019 and were trying to orchestrate ‘Megxit’, he had several conversations with the Queen and his father, and even outlined their plans in an email.

But Prince Harry said communications broke down “because by that point I took matters into my own hands.”

“When I ask, why did you leave, the simplest answer is…?” Oprah asked.

“Lack of support and lack of understanding,” Prince Harry said.

Prince Charles and Prince Harry’s once close relationship has suffered over the last three years. Picture: Chris Jackson/Getty

The couple also claimed that prior to announcing their departure, which they said they had been discussing for up to two years, they asked if it would be possible for them to continue on in a way similar to more junior royals where upon they were able to work but could also serve the Queen when called upon, but were told that would not be possible.

Prince Harry said the decision to ultimately go through with their plan came down to his fear of “history repeating itself” and Meghan being at risk like his late mother was.

The couple also denied claims they orchestrated their break from the royal family in a bid to get rich through a number of lucrative deals with streaming services including Netflix and Spotify.

“I had to afford security for us,” Prince Harry said of the deals, revealing his family cut him off financially for the first quarter of 2020 just weeks after pulling the family’s security, leaving Harry desperate.

Prince Harry said that his father financially cut him off just days after announcing the security detail protecting his family would also be pulled. Picture: Richard Dawson/MoD via Getty

Prince Harry says that while he is now back in contact with his father, “there’s a lot to work through there.

“I feel really let down because he’s been through something similar, he knows what the pain feels like, and is Archie’s his grandfather. But at the same time I will always love him.

He added, “But there’s a lot of hurt that’s happened and I will continue to make it one of my priorities to try and heal that relationship. But they only know what they know, and that’s the thing … or what they’re told. I’ve tried to educate them through the process that I have been educated.”

Prince Harry said he speaks with his grandmother regularly, and more in the past 12 months than “in the last 20 years”.

On his brother, Prince Harry said that while he loves Prince William “to bits” the pair are “on different paths”.

When pressed on the issue, Prince Harry said “the relationship is space at the moment.”

He added, “time heals all things, hopefully.”

Originally published as Prince Charles challenges Harry’s racism claim over Archie, denies financially cutting them off