Psychotherapist Lucy Beresford explains why she thinks their rift will never be resolved as Prince Harry and King Charles work to mend their father-son bond.
At a time when we thought there was nothing more Prince Harry could say against his family, the Duke of Sussex caused new shockwaves in a BBC interview, raising more grievances about his treatment since stepping down as a working royal.
Harry claimed to have felt “let down” once more and that the Royal Household had influenced the decision to lower his security after losing his Court of Appeal challenge over the level of security he received while traveling to the UK.
The Duke resigned as a working royal in 2020, and it was decided that he would not be automatically given full security while residing in the UK.
Harry claimed that due to security concerns, some people “want history to repeat itself by denying him a higher level of security” and that his father “won’t talk to him.”
Harry later learned that a member of the Royal Household’s Ravec committee, which authorizes security for senior royals for the Home Office, had “hit the floor.”
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The Court of Appeal determined that the committee’s then-chair, Sir Richard Mottram, had made the decision without conducting a thorough analysis of the threats Harry faced at the time, and that a thorough analysis would not have affected the outcome.
After speaking with the Royal Household, Harry claimed Sir Richard “abandoned” a thorough examination of his security arrangements. The prince added that, “I have had it described to me that this is a good old fashioned establishment stitch up – and that’s what it feels like” during the BBC interview.
Harry stated that he was hopeful for reconciliation despite all of his grievances and that he didn’t “know how long his father has been gone.”
According to psychologist and relationship coach Lucy Beresford, at least in Harry’s mind, there is a sense that King Charles is “letting him down.”
Lucy told us: “He says he makes some comments about ‘the establishment’ which were on this particular body or board or committee that decides who gets security. So, Prince Harry is making an assumption that King Charles could do something about that. I do not know whether that is true or not.”
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However, Harry has shown a great deal of love and devotion to his “Pa.” Just hours after Charles’ shocking diagnosis was made public, Harry took a plane to see the King.
However, his Spare, his 2023 memoir, and TV interviews continue to have negative effects. Since learning of his illness, Harry has reportedly only seen his father once.
However, according to psychotherapist Lucy, Harry’s attitude to himself will remain in “victim mode.” And the title of his book might offer a glimpse into his burning resentment.
The expert explains: “Psychologically, as Freud identified, sons need to feel that they will eventually triumph over their fathers. In this particular family, that is actually going to happen. When King Charles dies, Prince William will literally take his job.
However, Prince Harry will never have access to that. He will never have the chance to fulfill that psychological destiny. Of course, that is not everyone’s fault. Being “the spare,” however, may be what is causing some of this resentment unintentionally.
He makes some remarks about “the establishment” members of this particular committee that determines security. Prince Harry therefore assumes that King Charles has the ability to change that. I’m not sure if that is accurate. However, he thinks he feels repulsed.
Lucy also makes a point that his interviews with the BBC are unique from those on the show. She explains that “there is an element of him not wanting to be forgotten; the irony is that he moved to America as he himself, and this interview for the BBC is more about trying to make people aware that he still exists.”
He seems to be saying, “don’t forget me!” “
Lucy claims that the interview demonstrates Harry’s “inner child” has “has” hijacked his adult brain in relation to his security concerns and that what happened to his mother, Princess Diana, could happen to him and his family.
If it has already occurred in your family. There is a theory that it might occur. You could probably make your own decisions as a grownup, she says, “to prevent it from happening again.”
However, his inner child is so powerful that it almost seems to have been hijacked by his adult brain, saying “no, this would definitely happen if I don’t get the security I crave,” “and really bad things will happen.”
“The main problem that Prince Harry has got, is that the Royal Family now don’t trust him because he keeps going on to the media,” says Lucy.
“We don’t trust you when you speak in the media, and the most recent thing you say is, I want to reconcile,” you might as well put it. He kind of strengthens the negative perception of everyone.
In the end, Lucy thinks that despite his father’s separation, Lucy’s desire to reconcile with him may not be real.
