Royal insiders say the Duke of Sussex’s comments have created tension inside the Palace as a U.S. visit approaches.
King Charles is said to be uneasy about Prince Harry’s public response to Donald Trump’s comments on NATO, according to a royal expert.
Writing on his Substack, royal commentator Rob Shuter revealed that the mood inside Buckingham Palace is “strained” after Harry spoke out against remarks made by the former U.S. president. Trump recently claimed that NATO troops “stayed a little off the front lines” during past conflicts and suggested the United States had “never needed” its allies, despite having invoked NATO’s collective defence clause after 9/11.
Harry, who completed two frontline tours in Afghanistan with the Army Air Corps, strongly disagreed.
“I served there. I made lifelong friends there. And I lost friends there,” he said.
“Thousands of lives were changed forever. Mothers and fathers buried sons and daughters. Children were left without a parent. Families are left carrying the cost. Those sacrifices deserve to be spoken about truthfully and with respect.”
According to palace insiders quoted by Shuter, the King is uncomfortable seeing his son wade into such a charged political debate, especially with a sensitive U.S. visit on the horizon.
One source said Charles understands why Harry feels so strongly but is unhappy with the timing.
“Charles understands the emotion, but he’s horrified by the timing. This is diplomacy, not podcast politics,” the insider claimed.
With King Charles and Queen Camilla expected to visit the United States later this year, concerns are growing behind closed doors. Another royal source explained, “Harry’s comments make an already delicate situation much harder. The King can’t respond publicly, even if he privately agrees.”
The situation highlights the ongoing tension between Harry’s willingness to speak out and the King’s need to remain neutral on political matters as head of state.
