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Tensions within the royal household seem to have worsened after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle returned to the UK, with reports now claiming that contact between the father and son is only through intermediaries.

The duke reportedly spoke regularly with the king over the phone after arriving with his wife and their two kids, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, in August, even though they hadn’t yet met in person.

However, a source reveals that the line of communication has been cut after a tense exchange following King Charles’ new guidance letter labeling Prince Harry and Meghan “private citizens.”

King Charles And Prince Harry Initially Spoke Regularly After UK Return

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Earlier reports suggested that Harry and his father had not been in contact with each other since the Sussexes set foot in the United Kingdom.

A new report has challenged that information and now claims that the pair were initially regularly speaking to each other over the phone.

According to Woman’s Day, a source revealed that the father and son spoke “on a weekly basis,” about matters concerning the Sussex family and their children.

The source stated that the calls included “pleasantries about the kids,” as well as conversations surrounding Archie and Lilibet’s schooling and arrangements for the king to spend time with his grandchildren.

The alleged communication and plans for the king to see the kids align with reports and sources that suggested that Harry and Charles were making progress in repairing their strained relationship.

The Duke Had Been Trying To Reconnect With His Father

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Harry had previously expressed his desire to reconcile with his father, especially after the king was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer.

Prior to their UK return, the Sussexes along with their children reconnected with Charles and Queen Camilla at Highgrove House in July.

The reunion reportedly pleased the king, who had a “real spring in his step” after meeting Archie and Lilibet for the first time in four years.

Now sources suggest the blooming relationship appears to have soured once more after the recent letter from Charles, and the resulting drama has led to the monarch cutting off direct communication with his son.

• Meghan Markle’s new video of the family in the UK hit with negative feedback.
• Harry and Meghan “expect to be let back in” to royal life after UK return.
• The duchess fears she and Harry are not “welcomed” after “disappointing” UK reception.
• Prince William is considering skipping a major royal family event to avoid the couple.
• Meghan is reportedly forced to do extra work as she struggles to find UK staff.
• The duke and duchess’s kids’ new UK school comes with an eye-watering yearly fee.

Direct Contact Reportedly Ended After ‘Heated’ Call Over ‘Private Citizen’ Letter

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Charles is reportedly not maintaining a direct line of communication with his son after a dispute over royal guidance.

According to the Woman’s Day source, the final conversation between the pair became “somewhat heated” after the palace’s letter.

“Harry and Charles were in direct contact when they first arrived in the UK, but not anymore,” the source alleged, adding that “their communication is back to going through one of his advisors after the last call became somewhat heated.”

The 77-year-old monarch is reportedly refusing to engage directly with his son until “cooler heads prevail.”

Charles is supposedly exhausted with the “eternal fuss” surrounding Harry and Meghan and its effect on their entire family.

“He can’t understand why Harry continues to push for conflict – he and Meghan see insults when there are none,” the insider explained.

The breakdown in communication marks a difficult moment that has arisen amid the father and son’s desire to reunite.

All About The Guidance Letter That Has Divided King Charles And Prince Harry Again

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The progress Harry and Charles had made in repairing their relationship was disrupted by the letter sent out on the king’s instruction.

Richard Benyon, the Lord Chamberlain, sent out new guidance on the king’s behalf that clarified the Sussexes’ status upon their return to Britain.

According to People Magazine, the letter states that there had been “no change to the current status of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.”

It confirmed that Harry and Meghan remained non-working royals and that their titles as His and Her Royal Highnesses “remain in abeyance and are not used.”

The correspondence left no room for confusion and asserted that the Sussexes do not represent the Crown after they stepped down from acting as representatives in 2020.

Harry and Meghan’s position is stated to be “akin to private citizens with commercial and charitable interests,” making it clear that the couple’s public engagements are not to be understood as a part of royal duties undertaken on behalf of the monarchy.

For Harry and Meghan, the timing of the letter was reportedly unexpected, and the couple is taking particular issue with their designation as “private citizens.”

Prince Harry And Meghan Push Back Against Being Treated As ‘Private Citizens‘

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People reported that the Sussexes insist they remain public figures whose exposure comes with security risks that private citizens may not have to deal with.

A source close to the couple told the outlet, “Members of the public know who they are. The idea that they can live a normal, ‘private’ life is sadly not realistic.”

They also argue that such formal guidance would be unnecessary if they were really being treated as private citizens.

For the couple, the distinction means everything as Harry has long since been concerned about security issues in the UK, and he has requested a review of his security arrangements.

Harry and Meghan’s relationship with the rest of the royal family remains strained, and the most recent row only made the reconciliation between father and son unlikely to happen anytime soon, even given their proximity.

The Prince Harry Reportedly Loses ‘Direct Contact’ With King Charles As ‘Private Citizen’ Drama Leads To ‘Heated’ Call first appeared on The Blast