Prince Harry’s reconciliation plea threatened to overshadow the King’s State Visit for the Sultan of Oman after the Duke of Sussex called for an end to family conflict in his first interview since returning to Britain.
Harry said that, “with everything else going on in the world, the most important thing is to reconcile”, as King Charles, Queen Camilla, the Prince and Princess of Wales and the Sultan attended engagements at Windsor Castle.
Speaking to GQ magazine, the Duke described “sibling disagreements” and “broken relationships between kids and their parents” as a “massively relatable” subject.
“People look at us, and go ‘How are you going to work it out?’” he said. “Some people don’t want it to work out. I want it to work out.”
The comments were interpreted as a possible reference to his estranged brother, Prince William, although a Sussex spokesman later insisted that was not the case.
“It was absolutely not intended as a swipe at his brother or any other member of his family,” the spokesman said. “The comment was made in a general context and was not directed at his family in any way.”
Harry and William have not spoken for four years. Relations deteriorated further after Harry and Meghan stepped down as frontline royals in 2020 and later made allegations of racism within the Royal Family during their interview with Oprah Winfrey.
Harry’s memoir, Spare, published in 2023, included an account of a confrontation with William in which he alleged that his brother had pushed him to the floor during an argument over Meghan.
The Duke said in the interview that he was grieving his “complicated relationships” with the King and the Prince of Wales, but remained committed to repairing them.
“Scars stick around for ever,” he said, while encouraging people to “let go of the past”. He added: “For me, there’s enough drama in the world and enough drama in people’s lives than to continue with issues with family.”
Harry speaks about his family and Princess Diana
Harry said he was on speaking terms with the King and offered an update on Charles’s health, saying: “He’s getting better.”
He also spoke about the continuing impact of his mother Diana’s death when he was 12. Harry said he missed her every day, but did not “sit there and go really deep into how I’m feeling”.
“It’s just a quick, ‘Well, I miss you. I wonder what the world would be like if you were still here. I wonder what my family would be like if you were still here’,” he said.
The Duke said he sometimes asked his mother questions while “looking for some kind of response – and sometimes, I do get a response”. He added: “There is a connection still with my mum that I do feel her energy at certain times.”
Harry said he did not want sympathy, adding: “Why? Because I’m a prince. I’ve got a support network around me, I’ve done different forms of therapy, and I put in the work.”
The 42-minute interview was released as the King and Queen hosted the Sultan at a lavish state banquet at Windsor Castle. In a speech, Charles highlighted the importance of the friendship between Britain and Oman during “painful” conflict in the Middle East.
The King also spoke of his pride that Prince William and the Crown Prince of Oman had been joint patrons of the Jewel of Arabia expedition, a cultural and environmental trek through the region last year.
At the banquet, the Princess of Wales wore the Lover’s Knot tiara, one of Princess Diana’s favourite headpieces, with diamond earrings and a bracelet that belonged to the late Queen.
Harry’s interview, recorded in late September, also covered the Sussexes’ return to Britain. He said it was “nice to be back” and that his and Meghan’s children, Archie and Lilibet, were “loving” their new school.
He said the move had not been planned for a long time, but provided an opportunity for the family to spend the next few months outside the United States and give the children “two completely different cultural experiences”.
The Duke also said he wanted to “draw a line” after his legal battles with the Press. In July, he and others lost a £50 million court case after a judge rejected allegations against Associated Newspapers, the publisher of the Daily Mail.
Harry said he was now “doing the best that I can, doing everything I can, to try to uplift and support journalism”.
