ARTICLE AD BOX
The royal family is hoping to put on a united front without distractions for the 80th anniversary of VE Day on Monday, after a bombshell interview in which Prince Harry claimed his father refuses to speak to him.
A tumultuous bank holiday weekend for the royals will end with a grand parade and a flypast as they are joined by veterans and large crowds to commemorate the victory of the UK and its allies in World War 2.
The interview by the Duke of Sussex, which came out after he lost a court ruling related to security arrangements in the UK on Friday, sparked fury from royal circles after he said he doesn’t “know how much longer” King Charles has left to live.
But in a warning which appears directed towards the estranged royal, Buckingham Palace officials hope that “nothing will detract or distract from celebrating with full cheer and proud hearts that precious victory and those brave souls, on this most special and poignant of anniversaries”, the Times reported.
According to the outlet, the King is determined not to let Prince Harry and Prince Andrew overshadow the monarchy.
Thousands of people are expected to flock to central London on Bank Holiday Monday to hear the words of Sir Winston Churchill’s 1945 victory speech performed by actor Timothy Spall - which will open the commemorations.
It will be followed by displays by the Red Arrows, appearances by senior royals, a military procession, and street parties across the UK.
The King will be joined by the Queen and other members of the royal family on the Buckingham Palace balcony, with Harry set to be a notable absence. Prince Andrew, who stepped down from royal duties over his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, will also not be on the balcony.
A Palace aide said that Charles looks forward to thanking a “wartime generation whose selfless devotion, duty and service should stand as an enduring example to us all.”
But the event is likely to be overshadowed by talk of Harry’s emotional interview. The duke told the BBC: “I would love a reconciliation with my family. There's no point in continuing to fight anymore. I don't know how much longer my father has.”
He was heavily criticised for the comment, including by a close friend of King Charles, who told the Times: “It’s not that the King won’t speak to him — it’s that he can’t. How can you have a private and delicate conversation when you know it is going to end up on a news special within hours?
“Perhaps if he tried to earn rather than demand a reconciliation, things might go a little better for him. It’s just very tragic.”
They added: “He is like a gambler in a casino who can’t walk away — he just doubles down. Even when he speaks of reconciliation, it is laced with threats and anger.”
Former press secretary to the late Queen Ailsa Anderson also told Sky News: "Prince Harry is saying 'I don't know how long my father has' - that's going to cause real concern and more speculation in the media and the wider public about what his diagnosis is, which is incredibly unhelpful going forward.”
English (US) ·