In a somewhat surprising move, Prince Charles name-checked his younger son Prince Harry in his recent essay on climate change for Newsweek—even as the Queen left the Duke of Sussex out of her Christmas broadcast.
For Jack Royston, royal correspondent for Newsweek, this decision is significant. "Prince Charles giving Prince Harry credit for his work on climate change shows he does not want Oprah to be the end of their relationship," Royston tells Marie Claire, referencing the Duke and Duchess of Sussex' explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey in March 2021.
"A lot has happened between them and it must have been very hard for the Prince of Wales to hear some of the things his second son has been saying about him publicly. From 'total neglect' to 'genetic pain' to 'my family literally cut me off financially,' Harry gave his father both barrels in 2021," Royston continues.
But the royal expert doesn't think the king-in-waiting wants to open a further rift between himself and his second son. "However, the point when Charles becomes king is nearing," he says. "Such clear and public praise for Harry shows he wants to move past the acrimony and look to the future, not the past.
"The Queen twice recently praised the contributions of different members of the royal family to the fight against climate change without mentioning Harry. Charles, clearly, feels more comfortable ensuring his son gets the credit for the work he has done and is not forgotten, in spite of everything."
Although it's hard to know what exactly the Duke of Sussex' relationship with his father—and with other relatives in the U.K.—looks like since he moved to California with his family, it has been understood to have become strained in recent months.
