Prince Harry Expresses Desire for Reconciliation with Royal Family

Prince Harry has reiterated his desire for reconciliation with his father, King Charles III, and his brother, Prince William, stating that "the most important thing is to reconcile." In a video interview with GQ magazine, conducted in September and released Tuesday, the Duke of Sussex addressed his complicated relationships within the royal family.

"Yes, of course," Harry responded when asked if he grieved his relationships with his father and brother. He noted that sibling disagreements and broken family relationships are relatable issues for many people, including himself. "Some people maybe look at us and go, ‘How are you gonna work it out? Maybe that will help me work my stuff out,'" he said, adding, "Some people don't want it to work out. I want it to work out."

When asked if the "wound" could be repaired, Harry replied, "Scars stick around forever. But what your perception is, and what your mindset is to those things that have happened, letting go of the past. That's something that I would encourage everybody to do: If there's certain things from the past that are still affecting you every day, that's harder to let go of. But, for me, there's enough drama in the world and enough drama in people's lives to continue with issues with family."

Following the interview's release, a remark by Harry suggesting "some people don't want it to work out" led to speculation that he was referring to Prince William. However, Harry's spokesperson clarified to People magazine that the comment "was absolutely not intended as a swipe at his brother or any other member of his family" and was made in a general context.

Harry's relationship with his family has been strained since he and Meghan Markle stepped back as senior working royals in January 2020. The couple later relocated to Canada and then to California. Their decision was followed by public airing of grievances, including a 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey where they alleged a lack of support from the institution and accused an unnamed royal family member of racism.

In that interview, Harry also expressed feeling "really let down" by King Charles, whose calls he said had stopped as the Sussexes prepared to leave their royal roles. Despite this, Harry stated he would "always love" his father and aimed to "make it one of my priorities to try and heal that relationship." He also described his relationship with William as having "space" but expressed hope that "time heals all things."

The rift continued to be evident in subsequent media appearances and publications. In his January 2023 memoir, "Spare," Harry detailed private disputes and alleged a physical altercation with his brother. In a BBC interview promoting the book, Harry said, "Forgiveness is 100% a possibility because I would like to get my father back. I would like to have my brother back."

He added at the time, "Though I would like to reconciliation, I would like accountability. I've managed to make peace over this time with a lot of things that have happened. But that doesn't mean that I'm just gonna let it go."

More recently, in a May 2025 interview with the BBC, Harry expressed a desire for reconciliation, stating, "I would love reconciliation with my family. There’s no point in continuing to fight any more. Life is precious." He mentioned his father's cancer diagnosis and said he was not in touch with Charles at that time, attributing it to security matters. Harry indicated he had forgiven his family for past disagreements but was still struggling with the decisions regarding his security arrangements in the U.K.

Reports suggest a thawing in Harry's relationship with his father. In September 2025, they reportedly met privately, their first face-to-face encounter in over a year. In July 2026, Harry, Markle, and their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, reunited with Charles and Camilla at Highgrove House. This marked the King's first meeting with his daughter-in-law and grandchildren in approximately four years.

However, the relationship between Prince Harry and Prince William appears to remain estranged, with no direct contact reported between the brothers. William has largely remained silent on the estrangement and has not publicly expressed a desire to repair their relationship.