Who could object to a warm phone conversation between birthday boy King Charles and prodigal son Harry?
And it really is good news if, as reported in The Daily Telegraph, the private chat on Tuesday marked a ‘turning point’ in the father-son relationship.
But the key word here is ‘private’, says Richard Eden in the latest edition of his Palace Confidential newsletter.
How did the BBC know ahead of time that Prince Harry would ring his father? And how, afterwards, did the Daily Telegraph discover the contents of a conversation to which few others can have been privy?
King Charles turned 75 on Tuesday but Prince Harry was not at the private family celebration
It has been reported that Charles spoke to his younger son on the phone – and one media outlet had surprising detail of what had been said
The King spent much of his birthday promoting his campaign against food waste
The BBC seemed to know beforehand that the King would talk to Harry on the phone while, afterwards, The Daily Telegraph seemed to know what had been discussed
We don’t know the answer to those questions. But, continues Eden, this apparent briefing ‘may have heightened the royals’ suspicions about the loose-lipped couple in California.
‘The fact that details of a private conversation were published so quickly might serve as a warning ahead of any possible future invitations,’ he concludes.
Eden, editor of The Daily Mail’s Eden Confidential, suggests that Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, have form for revealing intimate details of private conversations with other members of the Royal Family, citing their interview with Oprah Winfrey, their Netflix series and Prince ‘Harry’s tawdry memoir,’ Spare.
‘One of the major factors preventing the two privacy campaigners from resuming friendly relations with the Windsors is their refusal to respect other people’s expectation of privacy,’ he writes.
‘While Buckingham Palace officials have adamantly refused to disclose any details of King Charles’s private birthday celebrations “sources” with knowledge of Harry’s intentions briefed the BBC that he would telephone his father on his birthday.
‘Then The Daily Telegraph, which is one of the few British newspapers to be spoken of favourably by Harry, managed to obtain details of the phone conversation between His Majesty and his younger son.
The Royal Family attend the Commonwealth Day Service of 2019, the last official engagement attended by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, right, before they left front-line duties
Prince Harry and a tearful Meghan attend the State funeral of the late Queen Elizabeth
Richard Eden suggests that leaked details of Harry’s conversation with his father could serve as a warning should future invitations be considered
‘Within hours of the chat, the Telegraph reported that the pair “enjoyed a warm conversation” after Harry had rung his father to wish him a happy birthday.
‘It asserted that the King and his son would “speak again next week” after a phone call for the Monarch’s 75th birthday marked a “turning point” in their relationship.’
The Telegraph suggested that King also spoke to Meghan while Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet were understood to have recorded a video of themselves singing happy birthday to their grandfather.
‘While it’s a good thing if the King’s relationship with his son is improving, it’s clear that Harry and Meghan are not welcome at family events,’ concludes Eden.
‘Although family members including the Duke of Gloucester, the King’s first cousin once removed, and Princess Margaret’s daughter, Lady Sarah Chatto, attended the birthday party, no invitation arrived in Montecito.’
It is an uncomfortable state of affairs but not one likely to be eased, he suggests, with colourful leaks about private conversations with the King.
To read more of Richard’s expert Royal commentary click here
James Parker is a UK-based entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to the West End, he offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
