Prince Harry’s rift with King Charles worsens amid police protection case

Prince Harry didn’t meet King Charles during his recent visit to London for a court hearing. Photo / Getty Images

Last year, it looked like the relationship between Prince Harry and King Charles might finally be improving – but things have now reportedly become even worse.

Prince Harry’s rift with his father appears to have deepened amid his court case over the removal of his police protection, it has been reported.

The Duke of Sussex didn’t hold back earlier this month as he left London’s Royal Courts of Justice after attending a two-day appeal hearing over his security status. He told reporters he was “exhausted and overwhelmed” and that the public would “be shocked” to hear “what’s being held back” in the case.

Meanwhile, it has been widely reported that Harry is frustrated that King Charles has not stepped in to support him.

“This has been terrible for Harry’s relationship with Charles,” a source described as a royal insider told US Weekly.

“Harry blames Charles and thinks he can intervene. But [Charles] can’t, and it just continues Harry’s narrative that he’s been cast out.”

Despite Harry being in London for the hearing, he didn’t meet up with the King – meaning they haven’t seen each other since early last year, shortly after Charles’ cancer diagnosis was revealed.

At the time, Harry’s dash from the US to support his father was seen as a positive step in their relationship. However, it has since been claimed that their rift is worse than ever.

“Charles is not answering Harry’s messages,” royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told US Weekly.

“At the moment, Harry does not seem to have a relationship with his father at all. It’s truly sad.”

Round-the-clock security protection for Prince Harry and his wife Meghan was removed after they quit royal duties. Photo / Getty Images

Harry has been embroiled in a legal battle with the UK’s Home Office, which he is suing over its decision to remove round-the-clock taxpayer-funded security for him and wife Meghan after they quit royal duties.

Ravec (the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures) instead proposed a “bespoke process” for Harry, which he has claimed showed him “different, unjustified and inferior treatment”.

In February last year, a High Court judge rejected Harry’s case and ruled that Ravec’s approach was not irrational or procedurally unfair.

Harry appealed against that decision.

After his appearance in the Court of Appeal earlier this month, Harry alleged that the decision to remove his police protection was done in a bid to prevent him and Meghan from leaving the country.

Because of the “highly confidential” information being presented about the duke’s security, much of his appeal was heard in private.

Speaking to the UK’s Telegraph, Harry said that his “worst fears have been confirmed” by what he’d heard.

“People would be shocked by what’s being held back,” he said, adding that his “worst fears have been confirmed by the whole legal disclosure in this case, and that’s really sad”.

He also spoke of the moment he was told about the decision regarding his security, describing it as “difficult to swallow”.