The Reason Harry And William's Relationship With Prince Charles Is So Complicated
The royal family has been in the news even than usual lately — and a major focus has been the tension between Prince Harry and his father Prince Charles and brother Prince William.
During Harry and Meghan Markle's tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey, Harry said that his father stopped taking his phone calls for a period of time when he and Meghan decided to step down from royal life. But things between Prince Charles and his sons have always been "complicated," a palace source shared in an exclusive interview with People.
According to the source, the brothers have "always been this complicated relationship with their dad" because, in addition to being their father, Prince Charles is also technically the official boss of William and Harry.
"It's not a straightforward father-son relationship," the insider revealed. "He is their father and their boss, and they are beholden to him to fund their offices and lives."
Family relationships are often complicated but throwing a massive amount of money into the picture and its bound to complicate things a little more. And although some people choose to go into their family's business, William and Harry didn't have any say in the matter.
Money has been a huge source of tension
An insider revealed to People, "Tension between Charles and the boys has always surrounded money, because Charles is the one who holds all the power." Prince Charles' estate brings in approximately $30 million per year, which is used to fund his official office and, until recently, the offices of both his sons. However, Prince Harry says that his father cut him off financially in early 2020 due to Megxit.
During Harry and Meghan Markle's interview with Oprah Winfrey, the Duke of Sussex noted that the couple used the money left to him by his mother, Princess Diana, to make their move to the United States and hire appropriate security.
The inheritance was substantial, per Fox Business, Diana's net worth was around $31 million at the time of her death in 1997. Harry's initial inheritance was approximately $8.9 million, but thanks to Diana's investments, the amount was closer to $13 million by the time Harry turned 30.
His inheritance combined with the couple's seven-figure deals with Netflix and Spotify all but guarantee they'll continue to live an incredibly privileged life in their new home. But, as Michelle Obama said in response to the interview, "There's nothing more important than family" so hopefully, with space and time, the family's relationships will improve.