A royal expert has stirred controversy by claiming that Prince Harry is punishing his father, King Charles, using his children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, as leverage in their ongoing feud, told The Mirror. This accusation has brought to light the deep and unresolved tensions between father and son, with Harry allegedly driven by a desire to settle old scores.
Royal author and commentator Tom Quinn has weighed in on the rift, labeling Prince Harry as “obsessive” in his quest to punish his father for perceived past wrongs. According to Quinn, Harry’s tactics echo the very dynamics he resented during his childhood, when he and his brother, Prince William, were caught in the crossfire of their parents’ troubled marriage. In an old interview, Harry once reflected on how, after his parents’ separation, he often felt deprived of time with both his mother and father.
“His [Harry’s] desire to punish his father for not apologizing for the past has become obsessive, and it is ironic that he is now using his children in the battle with his father just as King Charles and Diana used William and Harry in their battles,” Quinn asserted. He further added, “Despite Harry’s attacks on the royal family, his father has avoided responding by attacking his son publicly, but privately King Charles is furious. So much so that he is now refusing to take calls from his son.”
The tension between the two reportedly stems from Harry’s belief that his father should let bygones be bygones for the sake of his grandchildren. However, King Charles senses that access to Archie and Lilibet is being manipulated as a bargaining chip—a move he finds unforgivable. “Charles believes Harry should let bygones be bygones for the sake of Archie and Lilibet, but he senses that access to the children is being used as a bargaining chip and that, in Charles’ view, is unforgivable,” Quinn explained.
Since stepping down from royal duties in 2020, Harry and Meghan Markle have made numerous public statements about their struggles with the royal family. Despite these claims, the royal family has largely remained silent. However, it’s been reported that King Charles is privately seething and has even begun ignoring Harry’s calls. When Harry does attempt to reach out, he is often told that his father is “unavailable right now.”
An insider speaking to People magazine suggested that King Charles’s reluctance to engage stems from his traumatic experiences during his marriage to Princess Diana. “Charles’ fear is a repeat of the past. When his wife divorced the institution, she took over the headlines, overshadowed his work, and became a global superstar. Seeing his son leave with his wife was not part of the plan,” the insider revealed.
As the rift between father and son deepens, the question remains whether they will ever find a way to reconcile or if the wounds of the past will continue to fester.