Prince Harry's recent reconciliation with King Charles has drawn renewed criticism from royal biographer Robert Jobson, who argued that the Duke of Sussex's efforts to rebuild family ties are motivated by financial and reputational interests rather than reconciliation. The comments follow a private family meeting in London that marked the first time in years the King had seen Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
The gathering brought together King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and their children during the family's visit to the United Kingdom last month. The meeting, reportedly arranged on short notice, was widely viewed as a significant development after years of strained relations between the Sussexes and the Royal Family.
Harry reportedly spent much of his week-long visit in Britain alone before Meghan and the children joined him for the family reunion. The visit came against the backdrop of the couple's departure from royal duties in 2020 and their subsequent move to California, where they have pursued commercial media and publishing ventures.
Speaking on The Royalist podcast, Jobson questioned whether Harry's renewed outreach was driven by personal reconciliation or broader strategic considerations. Referring to King Charles's cancer diagnosis, Jobson said, "I think he's impacted by the fact that he's living with cancer, without doubt. And that the emotion is there to see his grandchildren."
Jobson then argued that the King should approach the renewed relationship cautiously. "I think at this moment, I think that the king has got to wise up. Now, because he needs money, and because he needs brand and because he needs exposure, he's sucking up to his father again," he said.
The royal biographer also maintained that Charles must distinguish between his responsibilities as a father and his constitutional role. "His father has to realise he's not just Pa, he's not just grandpa, he is the King," Jobson said. "And he is there as a guardian and also a steward to the crown for his other son, Prince William, who is the heir to the throne."
Jobson further claimed that "a slow creep of allowing Harry back into the fold is not what the public in this country wants," adding that many people believe "Harry has trashed the monarchy... cashed in on the monarchy." He did not cite polling or other evidence to support those assertions, which reflected his own assessment during the podcast discussion.
