King Charles' Controversial New Portrait Sends A Clear Message To Prince Harry & Meghan Markle

By Heather Baver
King Charles smiling Karwai Tang/Getty Images

Since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Duke and Duchess of Sussex, left the royal firm in 2020, it's been a tumultuous time in Harry and King Charles' relationship. Unfortunately, right now, things are seeming more pessimistic, with the possibility that Charles might never forgive his son. After the courts denied his security requests, Harry explained he didn't feel comfortable traveling to the U.K. with Meghan and their two kids, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. Even though Harry had been in the U.K. during the legal proceedings, he hadn't connected with his father. "He won't speak to me because of this security stuff, but it would be nice to reconcile," Harry informed the BBC in May 2025. Now, after over a year of reportedly avoiding contact with Harry, Charles is demonstrating that he's focused on his role as monarch rather than family discord.

Days after Harry's interview, Charles and Queen Camilla debuted their Coronation State portraits. Although they each wear their royal finery and have their crowns at their sides in the paintings, Charles and Camilla chose artists with very different styles. Camilla's picture has a photographic, highly realistic quality. In contrast, Charles' painting is stylized, almost like a caricature. After the portraits were posted on X (formerly Twitter), reactions were mixed. Camilla's picture got lots of admiration, while fans were divided over Charles' painting. "I'm not sure why The King's portrait is blurry," mused one poster. Another was enthusiastic, claiming, "It's unconventional, fun, compelling and deviates away from the usual staid royal portraits."

Meghan's photo may be a response to the rift

Meghan Markle smiling Craig Barritt/Getty Images

While King Charles is sending a message about the importance of his royal role with his new portrait, some believe Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, is communicating her feelings via photography. Meghan posted an Instagram pic of Harry holding Prince Archie's hand and carrying Princess Lilibet. The duchess has been sharing glimpses of their kids on social media, but she makes sure their faces aren't visible. In this case, the black-and-white pic, with all three subjects moving away from the lens, strikes a somber note. "It looked like she was saying, 'Look what you're missing. Here's your son, and here and here are your two grandchildren that you probably won't see,'" royal author Ingrid Seward hypothesized to The Sun.

It's also possible that Meghan's visual was a call for peace and harmony, echoing Harry's comments to the BBC. "There is no point in continuing to fight anymore, life is precious," Harry explained. Unfortunately, he added, "I don't know how much longer my father has," a comment that could be another source of friction for Charles. While it could be a tragic clue about Charles' health, it could also indicate how little info is being shared with the prince. Harry divulged a lot of startling revelations in "Spare," and, coupled with his penchant for being candid in interviews, the royals are reportedly wary. "The whole institution is concerned that if Charles reaches out any conversations and information would be splashed across the American press," a royal insider asserted to Us Weekly.

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