King Charles has reportedly “directly” threatened his son Prince Harry to “stop leaking” to the press in a major update on the Sussexes’ shredded relationship with the monarchy.
The Sussexes’ new PR team are prioritising turning around the Sussexes’ image in the media, according to SkyNews.com.au Digital Reporter Reilly Sullivan.
“The Nigeria trip was a great example of that, I think even the naysayers could say that, you know, when you see Meghan and Harry over there in Nigeria on this tour, that it was pretty special,” he told Sky News Digital Presenter Gabriella Power.
“I think it’s paying dividends for Meghan and Harry.”
Harry and his wife Meghan Markle have been largely estranged from the royal family after “stepping back” from their duties in 2020 and later slammed the monarchy in an Oprah Winfrey interview, Netflix series and Harry’s memoir Spare.
According to royal expert Tom Quinn, Charles has directly appealed to the Sussexes to cease leaking private information about the royal family amid rumours Harry could be writing another book.
“Harry has been asked directly by his father not to write or say publicly anything further about the family or his brother that might cause trouble,” he told the Mirror newspaper on Sunday.
King Charles as reportedly directly appealed to Harry to stop leaking secrets. Picture: Getty.
“And everyone knows that when a King asks you to do something there are going to be consequences if you do not obey.”
The California-based Duke of Sussex has scarcely seen his father in the past four years and their most recent confirmed meeting occurred shortly after the King’s cancer diagnosis and lasted less than an hour.
It is unclear whether Charles made the stern warning during the visit or possibly via official correspondence.
Relations are understood to be even frostier with his brother Prince William and sister-in-law Princess Catherine, who allegedly cut off the Sussexes for good after Spare hit shelves.
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Harry opened up about royal secrets in his memoir Spare. Picture by SCOTT OLSON / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images.
Mr Quinn said that Harry’s repeated criticisms to the press have meant “more and more” ties to the King and his brother have been severed.
“Over the years that Harry has complained about his treatment by his family he has had just one aim – to get an apology and to see his father and brother make amends,” he said.
“Harry just can’t see that complaining in private might work; complaining publicly just makes things worse and in Harry’s case that means more and more ties to his past being severed.”
Meanwhile, even non-working royals on the outer periphery of the crown are increasingly steering clear of Meghan and Harry for fear anything they disclose could be leaked.
Zara Tindall is a strong supporter of her uncle King Charles. Picture by Chris Jackson/Getty Images.
Harry’s first cousins Zara Tindall and her brother Peter Phillips have reportedly cut ties with the Duke altogether due to his treatment of their uncle Charles.
Tellingly, no one from the royal family attended Harry’s Invictus Games tenth anniversary service in London last month despite the Duke’s hopes the trip would be a chance to reconcile with Charles and William.
Days later, Harry and Meghan departed for Nigeria and allegedly further inflamed tensions with the King by carrying out an unofficial “royal tour” of the West African nation.
According to a palace insider, an “infuriated” Charles suspected the visit was an attempt to undermine the monarchy in the Commonwealth.