Queen Camilla has reportedly advised King Charles against meeting with his son Prince Harry, despite both being in the UK for the first time in months.
The Duke of Sussex attended the WellChild awards ceremony in London yesterday evening where he has been a patron for 15 years. Hopes were high that Harry’s visit might offer an opportunity for father and son to discuss their strained relationship, but it appears unlikely that any reconciliation talks will occur, with Charles remaining at Balmoral in Scotland.
Concerns have been raised by sources close to the Royal Family that a meeting could adversely affect the King’s health, the Scottish Daily Express reports.
Following cancer treatment this year, Camilla is said to be worried that the stress of such an encounter could be detrimental during a period when Charles should be focusing on recovery.
This news emerges alongside revelations about an upcoming TV programme that is expected to depict the Queen Consort in a negative light as a ‘wicked stepmother’. Following Harry’s critical comments about Camilla in his memoir Spare, the upcoming Channel 4 documentary is anticipated to portray Harry and Meghan Markle as “victims” of Camilla.
In addition to concerns for the King’s well-being, two other significant issues seem to be preventing a meeting between Charles and Harry. There is apprehension about how Prince William might react, given that he was deeply wounded by Harry’s public disclosures about the Royal Family.
Moreover, there is the potential for a constitutional crisis if Harry were to broach the topic of his personal security while in the UK.
A confidante of the Queen disclosed to the Daily Beast that Camilla has been a significant force in advising the King against engaging with his younger son at this time. They divulged: “She has been the principal voice urging Charles to slow down and take things easy. The last thing she wants him to do is to get stressed out over a meeting with Harry.”
Nevertheless, insiders say that Charles harbours an “instinctive impulse towards Christian reconciliation”, a sentiment intensified due to his recent cancer diagnosis. He desires to heal the family divide because he “loves both his sons” and recognises the turmoil it has caused within the monarchy.
The most recent encounter between Charles and Harry was a brief reunion in February following the King’s diagnosis with Camilla also in attendance.
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