What Prince Harry and senior royals have said about the family rift

The Duke of Sussex has said that the “rift” within his family can be partly blamed on his determination to fight the tabloids.

Harry has had a distant relationship with his father King Charles and brother Prince William in recent years, which became further strained after Meghan and Harry’s interview with Oprah Winfrey, their Netflix documentary and Harry’s memoir Spare.

Now, in a new interview with ITV for its Tabloids On Trial documentary, Harry said he wished his family had joined together with him in his campaign against tabloid newspapers in the wake of the phone-hacking scandal.

In the documentary, when asked by ITV News’ Rebecca Barry if his determination to fight the tabloids destroyed the relationship with his family, Harry replied: “Yeah, that’s certainly a central piece to it."

Here, Yahoo News UK rounds up some of the public comments made by Harry, Meghan and the Royal Family during their rift.

13 January 2020

Harry met with Charles, William and the late Queen Elizabeth II at the so-called 'Sandringham summit' to discuss Harry and Meghan's announcement that they intended to step back from the Royal Family.

After the 90-minute discussion, the Queen released a rare statement. She said: “Today my family had very constructive discussions on the future of my grandson and his family. My family and I are entirely supportive of Harry and Meghan's desire to create a new life as a young family.

“Although we would have preferred them to remain full-time working members of the Royal Family, we respect and understand their wish to live a more independent life as a family while remaining a valued part of my family.”

18 January 2020

The Queen released another statement following more talks between Harry and Meghan and senior royals.

She said: “Following many months of conversations and more recent discussions, I am pleased that together we have found a constructive and supportive way forward for my grandson and his family.

“Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much loved members of my family. I recognise the challenges they have experienced as a result of intense scrutiny over the last two years and support their wish for a more independent life.

“I want to thank them for all their dedicated work across this country, the Commonwealth and beyond, and am particularly proud of how Meghan has so quickly become one of the family. It is my whole family’s hope that today’s agreement allows them to start building a happy and peaceful new life.”

19 February 2021

A Buckingham Palace statement revealed that Harry and Meghan would not be returning as working members of the Royal Family, marking a complete severing of their duties.

The statement said: “The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have confirmed to Her Majesty the Queen that they will not be returning as working members of the Royal Family.

“Following conversations with the Duke, the Queen has written confirming that in stepping away from the work of the Royal Family it is not possible to continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service.

“The honorary military appointments and Royal patronages held by the Duke and Duchess will therefore be returned to Her Majesty, before being redistributed among working members of the Royal Family.

“While all are saddened by their decision, the Duke and Duchess remain much loved members of the family.”

7 March 2021

Relations between Harry and Meghan took a severe downturn after their interview with Oprah Winfrey, during which the pair made several comments about senior royals.

Meghan said of a dispute between herself and William’s wife, Kate: “It made me cry and it really hurt my feelings."

The pair are said to have fallen out over discussions of Princess Charlotte's bridesmaid dress ahead of Meghan and Harry's wedding.

"I thought in the context of everything else that was going on in those days leading to the wedding that it didn’t make sense to not be just doing whatever what everyone else was doing, which was trying to be supportive," Meghan told Oprah.

9 March 2021

Following the Oprah interview, Buckingham palace issued a statement reacting to the claims made in it.

The statement, on behalf of the late Queen, said: “The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan.

“The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning. Whilst some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately. Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much loved family members.”

August 2022

When asked if there was room for forgiveness between her and the Royal Family, Meghan told The Cut: “I think forgiveness is really important. It takes a lot more energy to not forgive.

“But it takes a lot of effort to forgive. I've really made an active effort, especially knowing that I can say anything.”

8 January 2023

During an interview with ITV to promote his memoir, Spare, Harry was asked if his book was “pretty consistently scathing” about his stepmother, Camilla, and the press.

Harry replied: “Scathing? There’s no part of any of the things that I’ve said are scathing towards any member of my family, especially not my stepmother. There are things that have happened that have been incredibly hurtful, some in the past, some current.”

Asked whether he spoke to his father, Harry replied: “We aren’t... we haven’t spoken for quite a while. No, not recently.”

6 February 2024

Harry returned to the UK following King Charles's cancer diagnosis, making the trip from Los Angeles without the rest of his family, following news of the monarch's illness. His visit was very brief, with Harry spending around 45 minutes at Buckingham Palace with the King and returning to LA shortly afterwards.

23 March 2024

Following the Princess of Wales’s cancer diagnosis, Harry and Meghan released a statement wishing her “health and healing”. The couple said they hoped Kate and her family would be “able to do so privately and in peace”.

7 May 2024

There was speculation in May this year that Harry would meet up with Charles during a trip back to the UK. However, this did not happen, fuelling rumours that the pair are still not on speaking terms.

Without responding to those rumours, a spokesperson for Harry said: “In response to the many inquiries and continued speculation on whether or not the duke will meet with his father while in the UK this week, it unfortunately will not be possible due to His Majesty’s full programme.

“The duke of course is understanding of his father’s diary of commitments and various other priorities and hopes to see him soon.”

25 July 2024

Comments from the ITV for its Tabloids On Trial documentary were released.

Asked whether his tabloid fight had destroyed the relationship with his family, Harry replied: “Yeah, that’s certainly a central piece to it.

"But, you know, it’s a hard question to answer because anything I say about my family results in a torrent of abuse from the press.

“I’ve made it very clear that this is something that needs to be done. It would be nice if we, you know, did it as a family.”