Royal Outraged: Prince Harry’s claim about King Charles disproved in explosive book
The Duke of Sussex was not very complimentary about his father.
Prince Harry did not paint his father in the best light in his memoir (Image: Kristina Bumphrey/Variety via Getty Images)
Prince Harry’s claim that his father was “not quite ready for parenthood” and not affectionate has been disproved in a new book by Prince Edward’s ex. Ruthie Henshall, who dated Prince Edward for five years before he met Duchess Sophie, has shared some of her fond memories of the Royal Family in her book The Showgirl And The Prince.
This includes her memories from Balmoral, where she spent time with some of the most senior members of the Royal Family. This includes King Charles, who was then the Prince of Wales. Ruthie also recalls seeing Charles with his two sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, and gave a very different account of how he spoke about his father in his memoir, Spare.
Writing in her new book, Ruthie wrote: “I watched Charles playing rough and tumble with William and Harry (then aged ten and eight) in the Balmoral corridors.
“He clearly loved those boys, and they were squealing with joy as Daddy chased them.”
This alone seems to disprove the picture of his father that Harry painted in his 2023 memoir Spare, which is believed to have caused some tension between Harry and his royal relatives.
In his book, Harry suggested his father was cold and distant, writing that he “didn’t hug” Harry.
Charles used to play games with Harry and William at Balmoral, it has been claimed (Image: Ken Goff/Getty Images)
He also said that his father seemed not to suit single parenthood after the death of Princess Diana, with whom he had split years prior to her death.
Harry wrote: “Not that Pa hadn’t always been a bit checked out. He’d always given an air of being not quite ready for parenthood – the responsibilities, the patience, the time. Even he, though a proud man, would’ve admitted as much. But single parenthood? Pa was never made for that.”
Harry’s account seems very different from Ruthie’s image of an engaged father playing with his two sons. King Charles has never responded publicly to Harry’s claims about him in Spare. It is believed the father and son have not always had a smooth-sailing relationship over the last few years, this is reportedly slowly improving.
This was hinted at last month when Harry took his wife and children to see King Charles and Queen Camilla at Highgrove. No details of the reunion have been shared.
