Harry says of Prince Charles: 'I will always love him... but I felt really let down'

Credit: Joe Pugliese/Harpo Productions

In his and Meghan's deeply personal interview with chat show host Oprah Winfrey, Prince Harry has revealed he felt "let down" by his father Prince Charles.

Discussing why the couple stepped back from Royal life and moved to the US to escape British press intrusion, the Duke of Sussex implied that he had expected his father to be more understanding given how Princess Diana had endured similar treatment.

Speaking about his father, Harry said: "I feel really let down because he’s been through something similar, he knows what pain feels like, (and) Archie's his grandson."

Harry spoke of problems with his relationship with Charles Credit: Paul Edwards/The Sun/PA

The Sussexes told Oprah that concerns were raised by a member of the Royal Family before the birth of son Archie about "how dark" his skin colour might be.

Continuing to talk about Prince Charles, Harry said: "But at the same time – I will always love him – but there’s a lot of hurt that’s happened and I will continue to make it one of my priorities to try and heal that relationship.

The Duke revealed he and his father have now stopped talking.

While he and Meghan were living in Canada, after they first left the UK, Harry said he had "three conversations" with the Queen and two with Prince Charles - "before he stopped taking my calls".

  • Meghan tells Oprah about 'concerns and conversations' about Archie's skin colour

He claimed the Prince of Wales asked him to put the couple's plans "in writing," which Harry says he did.

"I put all the specifics in there, even the fact that we were planning on putting the announcement out on the 7 of January."

The 36-year-old suggested his father, and senior members of the royals, had limited information adding: "But they only know what they know, or what they’re told."

At the time it was widely reported the Queen had been "blindsided" by the couple's announcement they were stepping back from the Royal family.

The Queen and the Sussexes Credit: John Stillwell/PA

The couple claim this was untrue, Harry said "I would never blindside by grandmother," and suggested the headline had come from within the Palace itself.

Asked why his father had stopped taking his calls, Harry said: "Because I took matters into my own hands.

"It was, like, I needed to do this for my family. This is not a surprise to anybody. It’s really sad that it’s got to this point."

The Duke also revealed how he and Meghan coped after their security protection was removed when they stepped back from royal life.

Diana, nine-year-old William and Harry, seven, on board the Maid of Mist for a close-up look at Niagara Falls in 1991. Credit: Martin Keene/PA

Gripping Meghan’s hand, he said: "Their justification was a change in status. I pushed back and said is there a change of threat or risk?

"Eventually, I got the confirmation that no, the risk hasn’t changed but due to our change of status – we would no longer be ‘official’ members of the royal family."

  • ITV News Royal Editor Chris Ship says it will take Buckingham Palace some time to respond to the Harry and Meghan interview

He continued: "My family literally cut me off financially and I had to afford security for us…in the first quarter of 2020."

He said he had what Diana left him and "without that we would not have been able to do this".

Oprah With Meghan and Harry will be broadcast in the UK on ITV on Monday 8 March at 9pm. It will also be available on ITV Hub.

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