King Charles cannot reset his relationship with his son, Prince Harry, without buy-in from his other son, Prince William, according to the author of a major biography of the British monarch.
Robert Hardman, the historian and broadcaster, told the Daily Beast that Charles’ cancer diagnosis has reminded the king and his courtiers of the “fragility” of his existence, but that Charles has been “buoyed up” by his “strong sense of spirituality.”
Hardman was interviewed to mark the publication of a new and updated edition of his biography, Charles III, New King, New Court. Although not authorized, it has been widely recognized as being a close-to-definitive biography of the king.
ADVERTISEMENT
“Whatever the king does needs to be done in tandem with both brothers, not just one. He can’t have unilateral discussions if William isn’t in agreement,” Hardman said.
Is this because he can’t bequeath William a settlement he can’t live with?
“Exactly. Whatever reconciliation or bridge-building happens, it needs to be a three-way process. People keep asking about the king’s feelings, but William also has to be on board, which adds complexity.”
Hardman added: “It’s tricky, and a situation nobody wants. But whatever the way forward is, it has to work for everybody.”
Given that William and Harry seemed unable to exchange so much as a glance at the recent funeral of an uncle, does that not portend badly for the prospect of resolution? Are we ever going to see Harry in the bosom of his family at Christmas again?
“All things are possible; never say never,” Hardman said. “The bond between the brothers historically runs deep. While we don’t see the full picture, we know they’re both very private. Some might wonder why Harry wrote a book [his memoir, Spare] if he values privacy, but there’s still much they keep private. This is why William was upset by the book—not because of specific depictions, but because of the breach of trust. Things that happened between the siblings were made public, which is a huge deal for someone who values privacy like William.”
A key revelation in the new book is that much of the king’s reluctance to meet with Harry stems from his anxiety not to be seen to be interfering in the lawsuit Harry is bringing against the government in connection with his security status. He also mentions a desire on the part of others to keep the king “stress-free.”
Hardman said: “The legal aspect is not just a handy pretext—it‘s a real concern. If Harry were to interpret a simple ‘Best wishes’ from his father as an endorsement of his case [around the provision of his personal security], that could put the king in an awkward position as regards his government. People might say, ‘Why can’t they just sit down and talk?’ but legally, it’s much more complicated.”
“He has a strong sense of spirituality... He’s brave”
Hardman says that it was “a big shock” when both the king and Kate Middleton‘s cancer diagnoses emerged. He says: “The royal household was aware of what was going on before the public. There was a sense of fragility—things had been going well, and then suddenly they were hit by this news. But he was very matter of fact about it, with no panic. He has a strong sense of spirituality that buoyed him up. He’s brave.”
Hardman also learned from “people close to him both now and in the past” that the king had faced a cancer scare before, although details about it have not been revealed.
“People tend to forget he’s been active in the cancer field for a long time, especially through organizations like Marie Curie. Every Christmas, before going to his family Christmas, he visits a hospice. He probably has more expertise in cancer than most health ministers.”
Hardman points up the contrast between how the Waleses and the monarch have handled their cancer diagnoses, saying: “He’s the head of state, so there’s a public right to know if he’s capable of fulfilling his duties. There was a decision not to be too heavy-handed about privacy. When he came to London for treatment, he chose to travel in a state car so people could see him. With the princess, it was different; she’s a young, energetic mother of three, and the decision was made to keep it private. She doesn’t have a constitutional role, so she’s entitled to treat it as she wishes.
“In the book, I explore these parallel stories. They’re private people, so we don’t know what cancer they have, but we know the princess’s treatment is over, while his is ongoing. Things feel very different now than they did at the beginning of the year.”
Hardman says: “The prognosis is that he will get through this, and he’s getting better. Of course, we know cancer can recur, but they caught it early.”
Hardman believes William will be well-equipped to take on the role when his turn comes, saying: “William is pretty much the average age for succession. The historical average age is around 46, and he’s 42 now. There’s also been a public rethinking about William’s position. We’ve often seen him as a young novice, but he’s actually been involved in international public life for over a decade.”
“I quote someone in the book who was with him at Normandy in June. William was standing in for the king, who couldn’t do the whole day, and the British prime minister had to leave early. So there was William, representing the monarchy on the D-Day beach with leaders like Biden, Macron, and Trudeau. He was entirely comfortable—not the new kid on the block, but someone who understands these things because he’s been around it longer than many of them.
“So there’s a sense that he’s ready for whenever the time comes. In the book, I explore what people think he might do differently as king. He’s a different character, he’s more of a regular guy. He’s not spending time reading theology or contemplating existential questions; he has a young family.”
