Queen Camilla’s bumpy relationship with Prince Harry - from 'wicked' jibe to reconciliation role

Queen Camilla’s bumpy relationship with Prince Harry - from 'wicked' jibe to reconciliation role With the Duke and Duchess of Sussex just weeks away from returning to the UK, the Queen has played a vital role in reuniting Harry with his father after years of accusations and tension Within a matter of weeks, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will be returning to the UK for an extended period, after living in California for six years. The Duke and Duchess moved to America in 2020 after quitting their royal roles, but are now expected to return to Harry’s home country for an indefinite period of time. While it is not known where the Sussexes will live, it is believed Archie, 7, and Lilibet, 5, are enrolled in UK schools to start the school year in September. And while Harry has been determined over the last few years to mend the fractured relationship with his father, he has also long been at odds with his stepmother, Queen Camilla. From Harry’s scathing claims about the Queen in Spare, to the long-awaited family reunion at Highgrove in July, the Duke’s tumultuous relationship with his stepmother has been a lengthy saga. Harry’s claims about Camilla in Spare Harry made a series of scathing remarks about Camilla in his 2023 memoir Spare, most notably when he referred to her as his ‘wicked stepmother’. He also described her as ‘dangerous’ and a ‘villain’. In his memoir, Harry wrote: “I have complex feelings about gaining a step-parent who I thought had recently sacrificed me on her personal PR altar. In a funny way I even wanted Camilla to be happy. Maybe she’d be less dangerous if she was happy?” Also in his bombshell book, the Duke wrote that he and his brother Prince William pleaded with their father Charles to not marry ‘the other woman’. "Willy and I agreed that Pa deserved better. Apologies to Teddy [the King's childhood teddy bear], Pa deserved a proper companion. That was why, when asked, Willy and I promised Pa that we’d welcome Camilla into the family," Prince Harry wrote in Spare . "The only thing we asked in return was that he not marry her." ‘Brainwashing’ claims In another royal book, author Tom Bower’s biography titled Betrayal: Power, Deceit and the Fight for the Future of the Royal Family which was released in March, Bower alleged that Camilla had confided in a friend that she felt Harry had been ‘brainwashed’ by Meghan. The Queen is reported to have made the comment after her youngest step-son and his wife began to battle with the rest of the family, including the Prince and Princess of Wales, who are said to have raised concerns about the relationship. Mr Bower, who has previously written books about such figures as Bernie Ecclestone, Tony Blair and Simon Cowell, wrote: " 'Meghan’s brainwashed Harry,' Camilla told a friend." The royal author also claimed that Meghan was seen as a ‘divisive agent’ within the Firm, although shortly after the release of Bower’s book, the Duke and Duchess’ spokesperson issued a scathing statement denying all claims made in the biography. The spokesperson told People Magazine in March this year: "Mr. Bower’s commentary has long crossed the line from criticism into fixation." Camilla’s hurt at Harry’s accusations As the list of accusations about the Royal Family came thick and fast in Harry’s memoir Spare, it is believed Camilla felt very ‘hurt’ by her stepsons’ claims. One of Camilla’s great friends and supporters is the Marchioness of Lansdowne, who is godmother to Camilla’s daughter Laura Lopes, previously revealed to the Sunday Times that the Queen was dismayed by Harry’s comments. She said: “It was not stamping of feet or gnashing of teeth – it was much more of an eye-roll response. But of course it bothers her, of course it hurts, but she doesn’t let it get to her. “Her philosophy is always, ‘Don’t make a thing of it and it will settle down – least said, soonest mended’.” Highgrove reunion Harry recently reunited with his stepmother in Highgrove, when the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, along with their children Archie and Lilibet, travelled to the King’s Gloucestershire residence for a private meeting with Charles and Camilla. There were no photos or details issued from the event, but it is believed it was the first time Harry had seen the Queen since his father’s Coronation in early 2023. And while the meeting was especially poignant as it marked the first time the King had seen his grandchildren since 2022, royal biographer Robert Jobson described Camilla’s presence at the long-awaited encounter as "very significant." Speaking on the Sun's Royal Exclusive podcast, he explained: "The one thing that I think is very significant in all of this, given that Harry was not overly critical of the King, but he was very critical of Queen Camilla, was that she was there to support the King because she was also there to witness what was said. "And so they are covering each other there because, you know, Meghan and Harry have got a tendency really to have, you know, get - try and get what they want and what they need.” Camilla’s love of being a grandmother The recent Highgrove meeting was also important for the Queen, who has spoken openly about her love of being a grandmother. In a BBC interview in 2022, Camilla said that being a grandmother is “the best thing in the world!” “What’s so lovely about being a grandmother is they teach you things and, hopefully, they learn a few things from us,” she added. Camilla has five grandchildren and five step-grandchildren. The Queens’ son Tom Parker Bowles is a father to Lola and Freddy, while her daughter Lola Parker Bowles has three kids, Eliza, Louis and Gus. Camilla is also a step-grandmother to King Charles ’ grandchildren: Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis, Archie and Lilibet. Speaking to British Vogue in 2022, the Queen said she loves to treat her grandkids, as she said: “You know the nice thing about being a grandmother is that you can spoil them occasionally, give them more of the things that their parents forbid them to have.” Sara Parker-Bowles, who is the mother to Lola and Freddy, also previously spoke of her children's grandmother, as she said: “She’s an amazing granny. She’s really hands-on, and she’s really into it. She wants to know everything that they’re into.” Camilla ‘key’ to Sussex’s reconciliation with King With Harry and Meghan now weeks away from moving back to the UK, royal sources have told the Mirror that the Queen has been a major key in the Sussex’s reconciliation with King Charles. Insiders have said Camilla has helped husband Charles soften his stance towards the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for the sake of having a relationship with his grandchildren. Sources also revealed that Camilla urged the King not to shut Harry out, following his diagnosis with cancer in 2024, helping to aid a reconciliation between the fractured Royal Family.