Prince Harry has been criticised for allegedly briefing the media after reports emerged that he felt 'really energised' following a reunion with King Charles. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex met the monarch at his Highgrove residence on Friday, accompanied by their children Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five.
While few details of the meeting were officially disclosed, friends of Harry told the Daily Mail that he was 'buoyed, very happy and really energised' afterwards. The comments sparked immediate backlash on social media, with many accusing the Sussexes of leaking private information.
Social Media Backlash
Commentators speculated that this insight could be the first of many, suggesting the couple would 'drip feed the public' information from the family gathering. 'So much for the visit being private,' one user wrote. Another added: 'Here come the leaks. The PR Sussex team will milk this for months to come.' A third commented: 'Harry briefing the media already. He's so predictable.'
This is not the first time Harry has faced scrutiny for speaking to the press after a royal meeting. In September 2025, he told reporters he had 'no regrets' over airing family grievances in his memoir Spare, days after meeting his father. He also told The Guardian that 'the focus really has to be on my dad' regarding the King's health, more than a year after Charles's cancer diagnosis. Those comments reportedly rattled Buckingham Palace and prompted a reassessment of Harry's trustworthiness.
Ongoing Family Rift
While the reunion may signal a thaw in relations between Charles and Harry, other family members appear less willing to reconcile. Harry's rift with Prince William continues, with no signs of improvement. The family meeting took place during the same afternoon William was participating in a charity polo match at Windsor, highlighting the ongoing estrangement.
Harry's decision to step back from senior royal duties and move to the US six years ago, followed by public revelations in the Oprah interview, Netflix documentary, and Spare, has deepened the divide. He has insisted he was merely 'correcting stories already out there.'
Additional Tensions
A dispute over taxpayer-funded security ahead of this month's trip added to frustrations within the Palace, along with a public spat over royal accommodation that ended with Harry finding his own private lodgings. The Express has contacted the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for comment.
