Prince Harry has drawn criticism over the timing of an interview discussing reconciliation with his family, with royal commentator Carole Malone accusing him of diverting attention from the first Omani state visit to Britain in 44 years.
The Duke of Sussex's comments to GQ appeared as King Charles prepared to host Sultan Haitham bin Tarik. A Sussex spokesperson said the publisher determined the release date and rejected suggestions that the interview was intended to overshadow official royal events.
Speaking on the Royals Unscripted podcast with Express royal editor Emily Ferguson, Malone argued that coverage of Harry's relationship with his father and brother had displaced attention from an important diplomatic occasion.
"So much thought and money" had gone into the visit, she said, pointing to the Windsor Castle banquet and the Princess of Wales's outfit, which she described as reflecting the colors of Oman's flag.
"And it gets hijacked by daft Harry, talking about 'I want to reconcile'," Malone said.
Her criticism went beyond the competition for headlines. She cited Oman's proximity to the Strait of Hormuz and its importance to Britain's strategic interests, warning: "This could affect our fuel supplies, everything."
No evidence presented in the reports establishes that Harry's interview affected energy supplies, diplomatic relations or the visit's outcomes. Malone's suggestion that the episode would make Prince William "incandescent" was also her assessment, rather than a confirmed account of his reaction.
Oman's significance to Britain extends beyond royal ceremony. British forces have trained with Omani counterparts for decades, and Duqm hosts a major British military presence. The visit took place amid the continuing U.S.-Iran war and disruption around the Strait of Hormuz.
Charles and Queen Camilla hosted the sultan at Windsor, including a state banquet in St George's Hall. William and Catherine participated in the welcome. The previous state visit by an Omani sultan was in 1982, when Queen Elizabeth II received Sultan Qaboos bin Said at Buckingham Palace.
Harry's interview was recorded in New York in late September and published Tuesday. Asked whether he grieved his difficult relationship with his father and brother, he answered: "Yes, of course."
"Some people don't want it to work out. I want it to work out," he said. "With everything else that's going on in the world, the most important thing is to reconcile. That's the key point."
A spokesperson subsequently disputed interpretations that Harry was accusing relatives of obstructing reconciliation.
"It was absolutely not intended as a swipe at his brother or any other member of his family," the spokesperson said. "The comment was made in a general context and was not directed at his family in any way."
Harry also addressed Charles's health. Asked whether having an ill parent was triggering after losing his mother, Diana, he replied: "Yes, but you know, he's getting better."
The timing dispute followed criticism of Harry and Meghan's joint appearance in Nottingham on the day Charles opened the Welsh Parliament earlier this month. The couple greeted well-wishers and said it was "great to be back."
Harry and Meghan returned to Britain in August. As nonworking royals, they were not included in the formal program for the Oman state visit.
