Former Royal Butler Speaks Out About Prince Harry And Prince Charles

Prince Harry's relationship with his father, Prince Charles, has been on the rocks for some time. The Duke of Sussex has made very public comments about his strained relationship with Charles, even revealing during an interview with Oprah Winfrey that his father refused to take his phone calls after he and wife Meghan Markle announced they were exiting the royal family, per Marie Claire. When Oprah asked Harry why Charles stopped taking his calls, he replied, "Because at that point, I took matters into my own hands. I needed to do this for my family. This is not a surprise to anybody; it's really sad that it got to this point, but I've got to do something for my mental health, for my wife's, and for Archie's as well." Very to the point, if you ask us.  

Meanwhile, sources told People in March 2021 that Harry and Charles don't have a conventional parent-child relationship, and Harry has made it very clear that he has no intention of mimicking his father's parenting behavior. "There has always been this complicated relationship with their dad," an insider said, speaking of Harry and his older brother Prince William. "It's not a straightforward father-son relationship. He is their father and their boss, and they are beholden to him to fund their offices and lives. Tension between Charles and the boys has always surrounded money, because Charles is the one who holds all the power," the insider added. Now, a former butler for the royal family is weighing in on the situation.

Page Six reported that Grant Harrold, a former butler for Prince Charles and his sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, is opening up about the rift within the royal family. Harrold reportedly shared in the documentary, "Charles & Harry: Father and Son Divided," that Harry used to be very close to his father. However, after everything that's happened and the way Harry has made the family's struggles public, that relationship is likely gone forever. 

"The damage is done, and that makes me sad because the relationship that I knew — which was a loving, caring, fun relationship — can never be like that again," Harrold stated. In addition, royal author Tom Quinn also spoke to the documentary crew, revealing that things are very strained between the father and son. "There is no doubt the gulf between Harry and Charles has widened considerably. I mean, I think if they are not careful it will be very difficult to bridge that divide in [the] future. I can't see how they can do it," Quinn said, via The Sun. 

Meanwhile, Harry has been vocal about wanting to have a relationship with Charles despite all they've been through. "I feel really let down because he's been through something similar, he knows what pain feels like," Harry previously told Oprah Winfrey of the situation, per Marie Claire. "I will always love him. There's a lot of hurt that's happened. I will continue to make it one of my priorities to heal that relationship."