King Charles ‘frustrated and upset’ by Prince Harry’s reaction to security appeal

King Charles is reportedly “frustrated” and “upset” by his estranged son Prince Harry’s latest take-down of the royal family.

Prince Harry launched an incendiary attack on his family yesterday — claiming King Charles “won’t speak to me”.

He lashed out in a TV interview after losing a multimillion-dollar fight for protection in the UK, The Sun reports.

Harry still claimed to want “reconciliation” with his family.

But an insider said Charles was frustrated and upset with his son — and the burden he had put on taxpayers.

Speaking before Harry’s BBC rant, the friend of Charles said it would have been “constitutionally improper” for him to intervene in the court case.

They added: “What has frustrated and upset him on a more personal level is the Duke’s failure to respect this principle.

“And for his supporters to suggest that somehow his father doesn’t care about his family, or should step in.

“He’s been particularly concerned that it has taken considerable resources and cost for the Government to defend their position.”

Prince Harry hit back in explosive interview after his huge court loss. Picture: BBC.

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Harry claimed to be the victim of an establishment stitch-up and said he “can’t see a world” in which he would bring his wife and kids to London.

A Palace spokesman said of the long-running security battle, “All of these issues have been examined repeatedly and meticulously by the courts, with the same conclusion reached on each occasion.”

Harry said he does not know “how much longer” his father has left and that “life is precious”.

And he claimed losing yesterday’s legal battle over his security in the UK meant it was “impossible” for him to bring his family here safely.

His astonishing 30-minute chat to the BBC, from California where he is now based, came without any warning to Buckingham Palace or the King, who has been having cancer treatment for over a year.

King Charles III is reportedly frustrated and upset. Picture: Kirsty Wigglesworth/AFP

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The outburst came hours after Court of Appeal judges ruled out Harry’s bid for taxpayer-funded armed protection that he lost when he quit royal duties in 2020.

He told the BBC that verdict was “a good old-fashioned establishment stitch up”, and blamed the Royal Household for influencing the decision to reduce his security.

Moments before the broadcast, sources close to the King had told The Sun of Charles’s “frustration” that Harry’s supporters suggested “his father doesn’t care about his (Harry’s) family”.

Insiders had also suggested a possible way forward between the pair depended on Harry’s reaction to the court loss.

Minutes later they got their answer as Harry again raged against the State, the Royal Household, his father, brother William and stepmother Camilla.

Speaking before Harry’s TV meltdown, the source told The Sun: “The King is at heart a loving and generous man.

“That love has been sorely tested by this case and so many other issues over recent times.

“But there is now a chance for his son to move forwards rather than dwell on past grievances. From his father’s perspective, the door has been shut by necessity while this painful issue played out through the proper judicial channels — but it has not been locked forever, nor the key thrown away.”

Charles and Harry are yet to reconcile. Picture: Samir Hussein/Samir Hussein/WireImage

Harry claimed he did not want his father to intervene in the security row, adding, “I asked him to step out of the way and let the experts do their jobs.”

Referring to his incendiary memoir Spare published more than two years ago, he added, “Of course some members of my family will never forgive me for writing a book. They will never forgive me for lots of things.

“There’s no point in continuing to fight any more. Life is precious. I don’t know how much longer my father has. He won’t speak to me because of this security stuff. But it would be nice to reconcile.”

Friends close to the King had raised the idea of a reconciliation before the interview aired.

But they said Harry’s attacks in recent years and controversy over the security case had made the family situation worse.

‘The King has always considered this was an issue for His Government and courts to resolve and that for him to intervene in any way would be constitutionally improper,” they said.

“What has frustrated and upset him on a more personal level is the Duke’s failure to respect this principle — and for his supporters to suggest that somehow his father doesn’t care about his family, or should step in, click his fingers, and demand a form of protection that the leading national experts on protection may or may not consider necessary on any given visit.

“He has been particularly concerned it has taken considerable resources and cost for the Government to defend their position.”

Harry’s complaint had centred around the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (Ravec), which authorises security for senior royals on behalf of the Home Office.

Changes to his security were introduced in 2020 as he stepped down as a working royal and moved to the United States.

He said of yesterday’s court decision: “The other side have won in keeping me unsafe.

“I can’t see a world in which I will be bringing my wife and children back at this point.”

Claiming “I love my country” he added: “I think it’s quite sad that I won’t be able to show my children my homeland.”

He questioned the motive and said his “jaw hit the floor” when he found out a representative of the Royal Household sat on the Ravec committee.

He claimed there had been “interference” by the Royal ­Household in the 2020 decision, which he said resulted in his status as the most at-risk royal being downgraded to the least at risk “overnight”.

Despite Harry’s claims it is understood the Royal Household’s role and power on the committee is minimal — and rests solely working around family members’ diaries.

Harry has claimed he took his family to the US fearing Meghan could die like his mother Diana.

He added: “I don’t want any battles to continue. There is way too much suffering and way too much conflict in the world. At the heart of it is a family dispute.”

Harry and wife Meghan Markle share two children. Picture: James Devaney/GC Images

In another swipe he added: “If anything was to happen to me, my wife, or my father’s grandchildren, if anything was to happen to them, look where the responsibility lies, you know?

“So there is a duty of care that has been completely thrown out the window and that doesn’t feel great.”

And in another attack he said: “Through the disclosure process I have discovered that some people want history to repeat itself, which is pretty dark.”

Speaking further about regret he added: “I actually thought with all the disagreements, the chaos, the one thing I could rely on was my family keeping me safe.

“Not only did they decide to remove my security in the UK, but they signalled to every government around the world not to protect us.”

The Sun understands, however, that Harry wished he could win the case to cut his security costs and try and get back his status as an International Protected Person.

He spends millions on bodyguards and a source said: “It’s all about the money”.

This story originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission

Originally published as King Charles ‘frustrated and upset’ by Prince Harry’s reaction to security appeal