Prince Harry Recalls How King Charles Fell Short Emotionally After Diana's Death
Among many other shocking revelations, the Duke of Sussex's upcoming memoir discusses in grave detail the truth about King Charles III and Prince Harry's often strained relationship. According to The Guardian, who obtained an advance copy of "Spare," Charles openly treated his youngest son as an afterthought — quite literally from the moment Harry was born, with the king reportedly quipping to Princess Diana: "Wonderful! Now you've given me an heir and a spare — my work is done."
Elsewhere, Harry explained the heartbreaking reason he visited the location of Diana's death, acknowledging in his memoir that it didn't quite feel real until the prince was in the physical tunnel itself, per People. Harry was just 12 years old when his beloved mother perished in a paparazzi skirmish, and it was evident that he never recovered from losing her even before details from "Spare" were shared. As it turns out, however, the royal defector was left to fend for himself in the immediate aftermath.
The Duke of Sussex claims his father isn't 'great at showing emotions'
One of the most damning indictments of his father's behavior in "Spare" occurs when Prince Harry reveals that King Charles III neglected to hug him following his mother's death. Page Six reports that Harry argues, "He wasn't great at showing emotions under normal circumstances, how could he be expected to show them in such a crisis?" However, "His hand did fall once more on my knee and he said, 'It's going to be OK.' That was quite a lot for him. Fatherly, hopeful, kind. And so very untrue."
The royal defector also takes issue with how his father told him about Princess Diana's fate, noting Charles phrased it in such a way that it seemed she'd simply been in an accident and might recover. The king also went into detail about her various injuries, almost as though he was trying to wrap his head around what was going on in real-time. To this day, Harry can remember his father's exact words on that terrible day.
The prince's relationship with Charles has been tested in recent years. In fact, it remains to be seen whether Harry and his wife will even attend the king's coronation. Insiders clarified to The Telegraph that Charles "loves both of his sons" equally and continues to hope for a reconciliation. The Daily Mail confirmed he does plan to invite the Sussexes to the event, but it remains to be seen whether they'll accept.