King Charles told the late Queen Elizabeth II that he was 'not a bank' when she asked why he was no longer taking Prince Harry's calls, according to a royal insider. The Queen allegedly made repeated efforts to reunite the estranged father and son before her death in September.
The source told the Sun that Harry had 'bombarded' his grandmother with calls in her final months, but the Queen was 'unable and unwilling' to handle his requests. When she asked Charles why he was not responding, he replied: 'Because I am not a bank.'
Harry, who lives in the US with Meghan Markle and their two children, reportedly asked the Queen for money. She suggested he speak to his father, but Harry said Charles was no longer taking his calls. Charles had insisted that Harry email him rather than call, the insider added.
Relations within the royal family have become increasingly strained, with William and other members reportedly stopping communication with Harry after learning of his book deal, fearing their words could end up in print. The insider claimed: 'Harry is not as well off as people are led to believe. He was wanting money.'
It comes as reports emerge that Charles will hold crisis talks with William ahead of the Sussexes' Netflix documentary, due to air later this month. Sources say Harry and Meghan have privately discussed 'reaching out' to estranged relatives after the inevitable furore around the project subsides. However, royal insiders warn that relationships may be beyond repair, particularly if the documentary and Harry's memoir contain further criticisms.
One insider told The Mirror: 'There is a completely united front from the King and his family concerning the numerous attempts to privately make peace with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, which sadly have once again resulted in the other side wishing to air their repeated grievances to the world. If there is a need to respond to anything in the upcoming series then you can be assured that response will be swift and robust.'
