King Charles's behaviour with Harry, Andrew disapproved by senior royals

King Charles is in the news again but far from a routine royal appearance.

According to the newly released book Betrayal by Tom Bower, the monarch faced criticism from senior members of the Royal Family over his “reticence” in handling two particularly ongoing issues, Prince Harry and his younger brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.

Bower paints a picture of a king torn, even “dithering,” when it came to making tough calls about his son and brother so much so that Prince William reportedly had to step in to help manage the fallout.

The situation developed in the tense 24 hours leading up to Charles’s coronation on May 6, 2023, a period Bower describes as fraught with public scrutiny and growing unease within the monarchy.

The author notes that many Britons were shocked by the behaviour of the Duke and Andrew at the time, yet Charles allegedly struggled to navigate the crisis decisively. 

Senior figures within “The Firm” reportedly saw this hesitation as damaging, weakening the Crown’s reputation and prompting the King to question not only his own standing but also Queen Camilla’s popularity.

Unsurprisingly, both parties at the centre of the storm have pushed back. 

Harry and Meghan Markle dismissed the claims, accusing Bower of a “fixation” that “crossed a line,” while Andrew, long scrutinised for his links to Jeffrey Epstein, continues to deny all allegations.