While Prince Charles is a man of high status, and the heir to the British throne, this doesn’t make him unlike any other parent. Most have to make tough decisions with regard to their children and deal with difficult situations where their child perhaps doesn’t behave in the way that they would hope.
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The recent departure of Harry and Meghan from the Royal Family has caused serious problems for the family. This is a decision that Harry made, which Charles can’t have any say over. It has caused such a rift between Harry and Charles, that Charles has actually stopped making contact with his son for the time being – that’s if the recent Oprah interview is to be believed. This decision has reportedly lead to some feelings of regret on Charles’ part, with regard to his grandson, Archie.
A Bold Move
Archie is the first child of Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle. The couple, who met for the first time in the summer of 2016, have caused quite the stir in a way that British royals rarely do. Their recent interview with Oprah, where they spoke openly about their reasons for stepping down from royal duties, amongst other things, was seen as hugely controversial. Every move that they make is scrutinised by the media.
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Harry has been able to behave in a way that for his brother, Prince William, wouldn’t have been at all possible, since he will almost certainly become king one day. As Charles’ eldest son, William will inherit the throne after his father, who himself will become monarch after his mother, the current Queen Elizabeth II.
Sixth In Line
As Charles’ second son, though, Harry – three years William’s junior – finds himself sixth in line to the throne. Harry’s father, brother and brother’s children – Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis – are all ahead of him in the pecking order.
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It is very unlikely that Harry will ever become King. This means that he has more freedom to do as he pleases. It isn’t likely that Archie will ever become King either, although it isn’t this that Charles allegedly regrets.
Getting Up To Mischief
Regardless of whether Harry will ever rule, he has been held in high regard over the years. This was at least true of him before he became involved with Meghan. His penchant for mischief made him one of the most popular members of the British royal family.
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In his younger days, he used to get up to all sorts of shenanigans. This made him one of the most popular members of the British royal family. The prince was well-known for his misadventures back then. He behaved in a way that was not at all typical of members of the Royal Family.
Like Mother Like Son
Harry takes after his mother when it comes to his mischievous nature. Princess Diana was, arguably, as much of a royal rule-breaker as her son would come to be. She too fell out with members of the royal family. She was very much adored by the world. Her death in 1997 sent shockwaves across the globe. There was an international outpouring of grief.
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Harry’s behaviour has been a little more outrageous. At the age of 16, he reportedly smoked marijuana, while in 2005, he was pictured at a costume party wearing a Nazi uniform. He has also been photographed naked at a party in Las Vegas. What happens in Vegas, doesn’t stay in Vegas – at least not if you’re a prince! He has also had various scuffles with photographers. Does Prince Charles regret having to eventually tell his grandson about Harry’s past? Perhaps, but that isn’t what we had in mind.
Growing Up
Harry seemed to grow up a great deal after he attended the U.K.’s prestigious Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, eventually going on to become an army lieutenant. He went on to serve in the armed forces for ten years, in fact, and saw active service twice in Afghanistan.
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After leaving the army, Harry has since dedicated his time to a range of charitable causes. He has supported organisations that focus on animal conservation in Africa, children’s education programmes, mental health organisations, services that support ex-servicemen and women and sporting programmes. The most notable of his work is the fact that he founded The Invictus Games – a sporting event for active or retired servicemen and women who have been injured during duty.
Father And Son
Harry’s charitable work mirrors that of his father. He has established many support organisations over the years. His website backs this up: “For over 40 years, the Prince of Wales has been a leader in identifying charitable need and setting up and driving forward charities to meet it.”
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Some media outlets have claimed, though, that Charles and Harry have a complicated relationship. This was also implied during the Oprah interview. Harry reportedly doesn’t have a great relationship with his stepmother, Camilla, either. Charles and Camilla are not seen as particularly popular members of the royal family. Harry, on the other hand, has been a favourite of the British public for a long time.
Whirlwind Romance
In a survey conducted by market research firm, YouGov, in 2019, Harry was actually voted the second most popular member of his family, after the Queen. However, since his marriage to Meghan, this has changed slightly. The pair first met on a blind date, back in 2016.
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It wasn’t long before they were both head over heels with each other. Not long after they started going out, Harry invited Meghan to accompany him on a holiday to Botswana. The relationship blossomed from there, although it wasn’t until the Invictus Games of 2017 – more than a year later – that the couple were finally photographed together holding hands.
Milestone Events
The media scrutiny surrounding Harry and Meghan certainly didn’t prevent them from taking things to the next level. In November 2017, the prince proposed to the actress, presenting her with a very special ring. It had previously belonged to his beloved mother, Diana, and was made from diamonds.
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When Harry and Meghan finally tied the knot in May 2018, it was one of the biggest events of the year. An estimated 1.9 billion people the world over tuned in to watch the grand ceremony on television. Five months later, it was announced that the loved up couple were expecting their first child.
A Beautiful Baby Boy
Then on May 6, 2019, Meghan gave birth to a baby boy named Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. He became Queen Elizabeth’s II’s eighth grandchild and immediately entered the line of succession in seventh position.
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Harry was instantly taken by his baby son, describing him as “absolutely to die for.” Following Archie’s arrival, though, the prince and his wife made a series of decisions that lead to the regret on Charles’ part, which is the subject of this article.
Big Regret
After the passing of Diana in 1997, The Prince of Wales became the only parent to William and Harry, though they do have a stepmother in Camilla. Charles hasn’t openly expressed any disapproval of Harry and Meghan’s decision to take a step back from royal duties. He has, however, reportedly confessed that he does have one big regret when it comes to his son and daughter-in-law’s relocation to the States.
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When Harry and Meghan announced their intention to relocate and start a new life, baby Archie was less than a year old. Naturally, when a baby is born to your children, you want to be close by in order that you can lend a hand and be there to witness your grandchild grow up.
Supportive Father
Nigel Cawthorne, the author of Prince Andrew, Epstein and the Palace stated that Charles “personally regrets the fact [that] he won’t see his son and family,” now that they have moved abroad. He believes that Charles had been accepting of what Harry and Meghan were trying to do.
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“I think [the Prince of Wales] genuinely made an attempt to support what Harry and Meghan were looking or as long as it wouldn’t upset other HRHs,” Cawthorne told The Sun in July 2020. He also claims that Charles acknowledged that any efforts to influence his son would have been in vain. “In truth, however, there wasn’t a lot he could do apart from offering moral support,” the writer explained.
One For The History Books
Harry and Meghan revealed, back in January 2020, that they would eventually be moving away from the U.K. They made this statement: “We intend to step back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen. We now plan to balance our time between the United Kingdom and North America, continuing to honour our duty to the Queen, the Commonwealth and our patronages.”
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This was one of the most shocking announcements in royal history. What makes it even more so is that, reportedly, neither Charles nor William had been consulted about it. Shortly afterwards, the couple packed their bags and headed off to Los Angeles, leaving the public completely stunned.
Difficult Position
The official response from Buckingham Palace was telling. “Discussions with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are at an early stage. We understand their desire to take a different approach, but these are complicated issues that will take time to work through,” the statement from the Queen’s residence read.
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Harry and Meghan’s move means that Charles is now in a difficult position. According to Cawthorne, he intended to “slim down” the British royal family – referred to colloquially as “The Firm.” Harry and Meghan would have been key figures in the new set up that he had in mind.
Media Scrutiny
While speaking to the Daily Express in July 2020, Cawthorne said, “[Charles] was delighted with Meghan and, undoubtedly, would have continued to draw the Sussexes in more. [He] would have tried to expand their role within the Firm as much as could be expected. Of course, when [Harry and Meghan] decided to emigrate, all had to come to an end.”
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The question you may be asking is, ‘why did Harry and Meghan make such a controversial move?’ Some have speculated that this is partly down to their treatment at the hands of the media. The prince has been very critical with regard to the coverage of his wife, pretty much from the beginning. Following the confirmation of his relationship in 2016, he described the behaviour of the press as “a wave of abuse and harassment.”
Not Camera Shy
Harry and Meghan are far from camera shy, however. During an interview with the BBC, not long after the pair met, they revealed details of their courtship, the proposal and their plans for the future. It was at this point, that Meghan announced that she would be giving up acting in order to focus her energy on charitable causes.
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Of course, the media did continue to follow Harry and Meghan after that, although the pair did make a real effort to retain some level of privacy. Unlike William and his wife, Kate, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex decided against posing for photos with baby Archie outside the hospital when he had just been born.
History Repeating Itself
While the couple made every effort to keep the birth of their baby boy a private affair, it wasn’t enough to prevent unwanted intrusion from the press. During the 2019 British TV documentary Harry & Meghan: An African Journey, the prince went as far as to point out similarities between his experience with the media and that of his late mother, Diana.
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Harry said of his mum: “Everything that she went through, and what happened to her, is incredibly important every single day. And that is not me being paranoid.” He added: “Part of this job is putting on a brave face, but for me and my wife, there is a lot of stuff that hurts – especially majority of it is untrue.”
Hatching Plans
Meghan, independently, took legal action against the Daily Mail over the printing of a personal letter. Harry only added further fuel to the fire when he claimed, in court documents, that his phone had actually been hacked by several newspapers.
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Then, during the holiday period in 2019, the couple jetted off with Archie to Canada to enjoy an extended family break. It is more than likely that, at this point, they had begun hatching plans for the future. Not long afterwards, they would drop a bombshell that would shock the nation, Harry’s family included.
A Strong Bond
Charles was allegedly completely unaware of the fact that his son had plans to leave the country. Even in spite of this, the pair reportedly remain close. “Harry is and always has been incredibly close to his father. And nothing that has happened in the last few months has changed that,” a source close to the pair told The Sun.
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The insider added: “Charles, in particular, felt that the work and causes Harry and Meghan were embarking on could be really served by remaining within the royal household. But like any loving father, now [that] Harry has made his decision, Charles is keen to support him.”
Long Distance Struggles
Charles will certainly struggle being that far away from Harry, Meghan and his beautiful grandson. For any grandparent, to be that far away from their grandchild is hard. Hopefully, however, there will be plenty of opportunities in the future for him to visit his grandson.
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It is more than likely that Harry and Meghan will have more children in the future too. While the couple have taken a step back, they will likely continue to be hounded by the press, especially given everything that’s happened.
Tech Savvy
What this means for Charles, Harry and Archie is anyone’s guess. Let’s hope it doesn’t put too much strain on their relationships. At least they have more than enough money at their disposal to fund regular visits. Whatever happens, there will be access to pictures of Archie online, so Charles will always be one click away from seeing his grandson.
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Charles is no stranger to technology. In fact, in spring 2020, he broadcast live from his home using video-streaming. While fans watched as he spoke from his living room, one strange item caught their attention.
Spotted
When a prince or princess broadcasts from their home, it is an exciting opportunity to get a sneak peek of what a royal residence looks like on the inside. Fans got more than they bargained for when they tuned in to see Prince Charles broadcasting from his residence in April 2020. One particular photo frame, sitting on the piano behind Charles, caught their attention.
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The purpose of the broadcast was to launch the new NHS Nightingale Hospital in London. Charles was at his Scottish countryside residence of Birkhall at the time. It is part of the Balmoral estate and is used as a summer home by the prince and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.
Charles’ Speech
The speech that Charles delivered from Birkhall was a moving one. Speaking to all those involved in the creation of the hospital, he remarked: “if i may say so, I was enormously touched to have been asked to open the Nightingale Hospital…It is without doubt a spectacular and almost unbelievable feat of work in every sense – from its speed of construction in just nine days, as we’ve heard, to its size and the skills of those who have created it.”
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“[It is] an example, if any one was needed, of how the impossible could be made possible and how we could achieve the unthinkable through human will and ingenuity,” Charles continued. “The creation of this hospital is above all the result of an extraordinary collaboration and partnership between NHS managers, the military and all those involved to create a centre on a scale that has never been seen before in the United Kingdom.”
Acknowledgements
Speaking directly to the camera, he continued: “On behalf of the nation, I want to say a very big thank you to the planners, the builders, the Armed Forces, the generous companies and organisations [that] have donated equipment and services and all the support staff who have made this possible.”
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He, of course, also thanked those who would be responsible for the running of the hospital: “We are in an immense debt of gratitude to the doctors, the nurses, the technicians, the staff currently working in the health service and those coming out of retirement and the voluntary workers who will be working within it,” he said.
The Unveiling
Charles also mentioned the historical figure and namesake of the hospital: “The name of this hospital could not have been more aptly chosen. Florence Nightingale, the lady with the lamp, brought hope and healing to thousands in their darkest hour… It is symbolic of the selfless care and devoted service taking place in innumerable settings with countless individuals throughout the United Kingdom.”
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“Ladies and gentlemen, as the wonders of modern technology can only do so much and I can’t quite reach, perhaps I could invite Nightingale’s head of nursing, Natalie Gray, on my behalf to unveil the plaque to declare NHS Nightingale Hospital open,” the prince concluded. It was at this point that the plaque was revealed and there was a round of applause.
A Good Gawp
As you can imagine, Charles’ words were very well received. One particular viewer responded to this address by writing on Twitter, “Listening to his speech, [he] came across as king in waiting. I sincerely hope this isn’t for many years, but when that day arrives, we will have a most worldly, wise, experienced, qualified king in our midst, and we should be grateful for this in years to come.”
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There was more to this broadcast than just the speech. It gave viewers a chance to have a good look at the interior of Birkhall – one of the most private of the British royal family’s properties. The home dates back to the 1700s. It has only really been seen before on the 2018 BBC show Prince, Son and Heir: Charles at 70.
The History of Birkhall
When the documentary cameras positioned themselves inside Birkhall, they gave the audience a sneak peek at the interior. As you will have noticed in the picture, there were a lot of photographs of the prince and his family. One particular snap appeared to have been taken at the baptism ceremony of Prince Louis.
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Birkhall has a fascinating history. It originally belonged to Queen Victoria, and has since been passed down through the royal family. The Queen used to holiday there with her sister, Margaret. It then became the Queen Mother’s residence until her death, at which point it was given to her grandchild, Charles.
Birkhall Gardens
While Birkhall’s inner workings are kept fairly secret, Charles did talk openly about its gardens with Country Life magazine, back in 2013. “It is such a special place – particularly because it was made by my grandmother,” he said. “It is a childhood garden, and all I’ve done, really, is enhance it a bit.”
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The prince, who was, in fact, the guest editor for that edition of Country Life, added, “My gardening style is to try to work with the spirit of the place and to have enough time to walk round and round until a vision of how it should be comes to me. Sometimes, I see it in a dream.”
Keen-eyed Watchers
Charles gave the speech from his rarely seen office in Birkhall. The royal watchers with the keenest eyes scanned the background, intrigued as to which photographs the prince had deemed worthy of occupying a place in that room.
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A photograph of Charles recording his speech, released by Clarence House, also provided a good view of the office. This snap contained a detail that viewers would have missed from just watching the video. Charles positioned his tablet in such a way that viewers caught a glimpse of a book that he himself had written: Harmony: A New Way of Looking at the World.
Photographs
The Clarence House post gave us a detailed view of the photographs behind Prince Charles. One depicted the Queen, Charles’ mother, as a child back in the 1920s. Another was of the prince and his sister, Princess Anne when they were young. Charles supposedly looks most like Anne out of all of his siblings. The photograph was taken in the mid 50s, when the royal family were holidaying in Malta. Isn’t their coordinated clothing just adorable!?
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Other images were of the family at various different public occasions. There was a photograph of Charles, Prince William and Prince Harry wearing military uniform during a commemorative Royal Air Force Event. There was also a photo taken shortly after the prince’s second wedding in 2005.
Comments On The Announcement
Some viewers were, no doubt, a little relieved to see a shot of Harry in the background, considering everything that has happened. Charles was reportedly livid when the news first came out. However, on January 13, the Queen released a statement that read: “My family and I are entirely supportive of Harry and Meghan’s desire to create a new life as a young family. Although we would have preferred them to remain full-time working members of the Royal Family, we respect and understand their wish to live a more independent life as a family.”
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Following this statement, an anonymous source told The Sun: “Of course everybody, Prince Charles included, would rather that Harry and Meghan had remained as part of the royal family. Charles, in particular, felt that the work and causes Harry and Meghan were embarking on could be really served by remaining within the royal household.”
Unbreakable Bond
“But like any loving father, now Harry has made his decision, Charles is keen to support him,” the insider continued. “Since Harry came back, he has seen his father, and they have discussed what Harry wants to do in the future. Harry hugely respects his father’s opinion and has welcomed the advice he has given him.”
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Not only was Harry in a photograph on Charles’ piano, but Meghan and Archie were there too. One image was of the whole family together at Prince Louis’ baptism – prior to Archie’s birth – with Meghan standing by her husband’s side. There was also an adorable photograph of Charles with his youngest grandchild.
A Mysterious Object
Within the prince’s office, there were a number of other interesting objects. There was also a bunch of flowers – probably from the garden – and a photograph of Charles’ niece, Zara Tindell, riding her horse. Alongside these items was something rather strange.
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A mysterious image appeared behind Charles. It appeared to be a monochrome silhouette in a frame, though it is quite possible that someone had been cut out of the picture. Perhaps it was supposed to be art? Of course, speculation on social media soon followed, along with a few jokes.
Speculation
Some attempted to crack the mystery. A reply to Littler read: “If you look closely, there seems to be a faint pencil drawing in that frame – in this pic at least.” Another individual asked: “Did Charles forget to put a picture in the frame?”
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“Prince Charles currently giving a speech,” another social media user wrote. “Empty photo frame in the background? Is this for the lost siblings within the ranks?” This could, perhaps, be a reference to Charles having a secret twin brother – a humorous subplot in British satirical royal sitcom, The Windsors.
Vampire Conspiracy
Another user joked that perhaps the picture was “just one of the vampire ancestors.” Believe it or not, there is actually a conspiracy theory that Charles is a vampire. He is supposedly a distant relative of Vlad the Impaler – the terrifying figure whom Dracula was based on. The prince has also happily talked up Transylvania as a tourist destination in the past. If that isn’t suspicious, then we don’t know what is…
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The Twitter jokes became stranger and stranger. “What many people don’t realise is HRH Prince Charles is trapped inside a picture frame for 70 percent of his life and is only released under the orders of the Queen.” Another wrote, “Something climbed out of that photo and is in the world now. It’s out there. Be afraid. Be very afraid.”
No Harry and Meghan?
As you can imagine, one of the most popular responses was the suggestion that perhaps Harry and Meghan had been edited out of the photograph. However, if this were the case, then there surely wouldn’t be any other pictures of the couple around the room.
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If this were the case, it wouldn’t be the first time that Harry and Meghan were missing from a member of the Royal Family’s photograph collection. In 2019, when the Queen delivered her Christmas speech to the nation, as is customary, she was surrounded by photographs of the family. However, Harry, Meghan and Archie were not featured.
No Harry And Meghan
This made a change from the year before, when photographs of the couple had been visible at the Christmas address. This, unsurprisingly, led to much debate online and it was suggested that this had to be done deliberately to get at the couple.
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Speaking to the Daily Mirror in December 2019, Royal expert, Ingrid Seward claimed that the photographs arranged for the Queen’s speech seemed to “represent the idea of a slimmed-down monarchy” and that “all the media problems with Harry and Meghan must have worried [the Queen].” However, she went on to say that the monarch “would never be so underhand as to deliberately omit their picture.”
She Mentioned Baby Archie
The Queen did, however, reference Archie in her Christmas speech. “Two hundred years on from the birth of my great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria, Prince Philip and I have been delighted to welcome our eighth great-grandchild into our family,” she said. “Of course, at the heart of the Christmas story lies the birth of a child: a seemingly small and insignificant step overlooked by many in Bethlehem.”
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The issue did crop up again when Harry and Meghan announced their intention to step down as senior royals. “Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were missing from the Queen’s 2019 Christmas speech,” a fan wrote on Twitter. “Some said it was because… only heirs were [on] display. Now we understand clearly why.”
Ostracised From The Family?
Various anonymous sources claimed that this absence of any photographs of Harry and Meghan had caused some tension within the royal family. An insider told The Times that the couple had felt ostracised and had “taken the same message from the fact that there were no images among the framed photographs on the Queen’s desk when she delivered her Christmas day message.”
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Fortunately, now that the dust has settled, the family seem to be on good terms again. Royal observer, Katie Nicholl, speaking to Entertainment Tonight in May 2020, stated that Harry and Meghan had now “settled into their [new] lives” in Los Angeles and were now in regular contact with the family, especially William. As it turns out, the Queen wasn’t trying to snub Harry and Meghan with the lack of photographs of them. The same applies to Charles’ photograph of a silhouette. Let’s just hope that he doesn’t turn out to be a vampire after all!
