Prince Harry’s huge strategic gamble backfires as clock ticks on royal rehabilitation
The Duke of Sussex assumed time was on his side when it came to mending bridges with his father but Prince William may not be so inclined towards forgiveness
Prince Harry made a huge strategic error in attacking the royal family, it has been claimed, as he did not take into account the health of the King. Charles, 75, is undergoing treatment for cancer and while the monarch appears to be in good spirits, behind closed doors it has sparked conversations about what will happen when he is no longer here.
Sources and royal commentators now reckon the Duke of Sussex, 40, felt able to publically criticise the institution because he assumed his father’s time on the throne would stretch well into the next decade. Charles’s mother Queen Elizabeth and father Prince Philip both lived well into their 90s while his grandmother was over 100 when she died.
The King is known to prioritise healthy living and many assumed his reign could last 20 years even though he did not take to the throne until he was 73. While there is no suggestion the King will not recover from his illness, it has sharpened minds at Buckingham Palace and beyond.
Charles desperately wants to repair his relationship with Harry. But Prince William, 42, is less inclined towards forgiveness. It means if William takes to the throne before there is a reconciliation, the door may well be closed for good.
The Daily Beast reports that sources close to Harry say he is tired of being on the outside of The Firm and while he has no intention of giving up his life in the US, he could recover his reputation, something that would help in his philanthropic work. And one insider said he has been caught out by the King’s illness.
They said: “He thought he might have 20 years with his father as the ultimate authority to mend those broken bridges.” Asked if he would have released memoir ‘Spare’ if he thought William would be King in a few years, they said: “I doubt it.”
