King Charles is ‘sad and confused’ and frustrated with Prince Harry

News

by Jesse O’Neill

June 11, 2023 | 2:26 p.m

King Charles III was said to be “sad and confused” by his son Prince Harry’s legal campaign against a British newspaper group and his continued attacks on UK institutions.

The estranged Duke of Sussex has been embroiled in a lawsuit against the Mirror Group newspaper group, accusing the group of using illegal phone hacking to publish dozens of stories about him between 1996 and 2011 that caused him “heartache”.

The witness’ 55-page statement released last week included his view that the state of the press and government in England was “at rock bottom”, which contravened the constitutional requirement that the royal family be “above politics”. According to the Sunday Times.

A source close to the palace told the newspaper that Harry’s rhetoric and constant accusations against his relatives from the royal family continued to annoy the newly crowned monarch.

“The King brings up Harry every time I see him. I don’t think we’ve ever looked past sad and confused, but there is a little more frustration with his behavior as it continues,” he reportedly said.

Harry, 38, stepped down from his royal duties three years ago and moved his family to California, citing the pressures of their public roles and alleged prejudices against his American wife, Meghan Markle.

He outlined his grievances in his memoir “Reserve” earlier this year, in which he wrote that he begged his father not to marry Queen Camilla, whom he believed would be an “evil stepmother”.

The prince – who is fifth in line to the throne – did not meet Charles or his brother Prince William during his recent short trip to the UK to testify in the case, and was reportedly not invited to his father’s 75th birthday parade later this week. .

According to the report, Harry did not consider suing the press group until he met lawyer David Sherburn in 2018, who convinced him he had a case.

A palace insider told the newspaper that Harry never raised concerns about phone hacking with courtiers when the articles in question were published nor did he provide conclusive evidence that journalists used the practice.

“I think he’s been sitting in the California sun for a long time, hanging out with James Corden [the actor and TV host] And he lost all instincts about how to do that, how to act with caution, while still being a member of the royal family, a source close to the prince reportedly said.

“He’s lost the knack for what he can and can’t say and there’s no one around to say, ‘No, Harry, you can’t say that, take that part.'”

A former courtier offered another theory to The Times.

“I think he seeks inner peace and becomes that goal… He thinks if he can bring the media to heel, he will cure that of his pain. Sadly, I don’t think it will. He still defends his mother,” the courtier told the newspaper. .

“Nothing takes away this pain.”