Prince Harry Could Delay the Release of His Memoir After Prince Charles Extended an "Olive Branch" in 'Newsweek' Essay, Expert Says

A new era?

rince Charles, Prince of Wales and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex attend the "Our Planet" global premiere at Natural History Museum
(Image credit: Getty/Samir Hussein)

By many accounts, Prince Harry hasn't been on the best terms with his U.K.-based family members since he and Meghan Markle traded royal life for sunny California. His relationship with Prince Charles seems to have suffered significantly from the move, and from the Sussexes' decision to give Oprah Winfrey an exclusive interview in March 2021.

However, after the Prince of Wales made the meaningful choice to mention his youngest son in his recent essay on climate change for Newsweek, the father-son relationship could be on its way to some amount of repair—at least that's what royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams believes.

"The fact that Charles has done this in Newsweek, which has a large circulation in America, I think it’s clearly a form of an olive branch in the hope that there will be a form of reconciliation," Fitzwilliams tells The Sun.

"I think if you offer an olive branch it's only reasonable to expect something in return," the expert explains, adding that Prince Harry delaying the release of his memoir might represent a fair exchange in this instance. "I would have thought that some form of postponement of the autobiography would be considered.

"Otherwise everything that is said to Meghan and Harry when they come over for the Platinum Jubilee—which I'm sure they will—could conceivably find its way into the book."

The royals have been reportedly pretty damn nervous ("quaking in their boots," as one expert put it) about Prince Harry's impending memoir, which is widely expected to be critical of Prince Charles especially. The book's release date, currently set for late 2022, has also been seen as "disrespectful" because of its proximity to the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, which will celebrate her 70 years of reign.

"The Royal family need to know the pressure is being taken off them when it comes to this autobiography," Fitzwilliams continues. "This is a way of handling it."

Iris Goldsztajn
Morning Editor

Iris Goldsztajn is a London-based journalist, editor and author. She is the morning editor at Marie Claire, and her work has appeared in the likes of InStyle, Cosmopolitan, Bustle and Shape. Iris writes about everything from celebrity news and relationship advice to the pitfalls of diet culture and the joys of exercise. She has many opinions on Harry Styles, and can typically be found eating her body weight in cheap chocolate.