Palace insider says Prince Harry is ‘deluded’ in aftermath of BBC interview

Loading

“One of Charles’ team labelled him ‘deluded’ for thinking a media interview, quite clearly poking at his father and brother, could force any talks.”

They added: “If Harry reckoned going ‘scorched earth’ was a clever move, he was foolish.”

On Sunday, the duchess posted a black-and-white photograph on Instagram showing the duke walking through what appeared to be the couple’s California garden with his back to the camera, carrying Princess Lilibet on his shoulder and holding Prince Archie’s hand.

The image, shared two days after his interview in which he said he “can’t see a world” in which he brings his family back to Britain, was uploaded without a caption.

The prolonged estrangement, coupled with last week’s Court of Appeal ruling that he does not qualify for state-funded security in the UK, is understood to have prompted his decision to speak to the BBC.

The insider also said the “irony” of the duke using the media to seemingly criticise the royal family was not lost on the palace.

“The very arena of the media, which he has bemoaned for years, is the same platform he utilises to seemingly hurt his father, by saying things like ‘Charles may not be long for this world’ as well as other disrespectful accusations. The irony is not wasted on anyone within courtier circles and senior royals,” the source added.

The duke failed in his appeal against the dismissal of his High Court claim against the Home Office, over the decision of the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec) that he should receive a different degree of protection when in the UK.

He told the BBC he can only come to the UK safely if he is invited, and the King could help resolve the situation by “stepping aside and allowing the experts to do what is necessary”.

The duke said he is “feeling very let down”, adding: “What I’m struggling to forgive, and will probably always struggle to forgive, is that a decision that was made in 2020 that affects me every single day, and that is knowingly putting me and my family in harm’s way.”

In his 20-minute interview, the duke also said he would “love a reconciliation”, but claimed his father “won’t speak” to him.

Loading

He claimed that he doesn’t “know how much longer” his father, who is battling cancer, has left, and admitted “there have been so many disagreements” with his brother, but that he had since “forgiven” them.

“I can’t see a world in which I would bring my wife and children back to the UK at this point,” he said.

Following the interview, Buckingham Palace took the rare step of issuing a statement in response to the duke’s comments on Friday, illustrating the strength of feeling.

A spokesman said: “All of these issues have been examined repeatedly and meticulously by the courts, with the same conclusion reached on each occasion.”

Representatives for the duke declined to comment.

Instead, they pointed The Telegraph to comments made by Richard Aitch, a former close protection officer, who agreed with the duke that the court ruling was “an establishment stitch-up”.

The Telegraph, London

Make the most of your health, relationships, fitness and nutrition with our Live Well newsletter. Get it in your inbox every Monday.