King Charles III Turns His Back on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Until They Show Positive Change

King Charles III has a deep affection for his son Prince Harry, but their relationship, as well as his relationship with Meghan Markle, remains strained, according to an exclusive source in the latest issue of We. The insider reveals that the monarch's trust has been significantly damaged since the release of Harry's memoir "Spare" in 2023, where he openly criticized his father, Prince Charles, his brother, Prince William, and other members of The Firm.

The king has made it clear that he wants to keep his distance from Harry and Meghan until he sees some improvement from their side. He last had a chance to meet his youngest child, who is 38 years old, in May during his coronation ceremony. While Harry traveled to be present for his father's crowning moment, Meghan, who is 41 years old, decided to stay in the U.S. with their two children, Archie, aged 4, and Lili, aged 2.

King Charles III, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Oliver Dixon/Shutterstock; Gregory Pace/Shutterstock

After the passing of Queen Elizabeth II at the age of 96, Charles ascended to the British throne in September 2022. In a ceremony held on May 6 in London, this event seemed to bring a temporary ceasefire between Harry and his relatives.

Since his decision to step back from his position as a senior royal in 2020, the Duke of Sussex has experienced strained relations with his family. His ongoing tension with William, who is now 40 years old, has persisted, with Harry even referring to his brother as his "archnemesis" in the book "Spare." According to an exclusive source, William believes that Harry is deceptive and cannot be trusted.

Charles, however, was delighted to have his son present at his May coronation, despite the long-standing family estrangement. (Due to the fact that it coincided with Archie's birthday, Meghan opted not to attend.)

According to royal expert Nick Bullen, Harry may not have interacted with the Prince or Princess of Wales, but he did have a conversation with his father the night before the event.

Bullen noted that following the coronation, it appears unlikely for Harry to return to London in the near future. He further suggested that this could mark the start of the Sussexes' diminishing involvement with the royal family. This prediction seemed to materialize when Harry and Meghan were conspicuously missing from Charles' inaugural Trooping the Colour on Saturday, June 17th.

"I believe it is unnecessary for them to receive an invitation," stated royal historian Gareth Russell when asked about the Sussexes attending the event. "It is not meant as a slight towards them, but considering the distance they would have to travel from California just for Trooping the Colour... I don't think it was ever likely for the Sussexes to be invited."

The Trooping the Colour parade is an annual event held in June to commemorate the monarch's official birthday. Although Harry and Meghan did not attend Charles' first celebration, they did participate in the queen's previous Trooping the Colour ceremony one year ago.

The royal family believed that the presence of the Sussexes would have diverted attention from the significant event, which was of national importance. Meanwhile, William, the eldest son of Charles and Princess Diana, took a prominent role in this year's Trooping the Colour. Alongside his wife, Princess Kate, and their three children - Prince George, 9, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5 - the Duke of Cambridge waved to the crowd from Buckingham Palace's iconic balcony on Saturday.

Watch the exclusive video above for more details on Charles’ relationship with Harry and Meghan — and pick up the latest issue of We, on newsstands now.