Royal biographer and journalist Robert Hardman has suggested that the Palace could be feeling a mix of "exasperation" and "frustration" in response to Prince Harry's recent interview with GQ magazine. Appearing on Sky News on Tuesday evening (20 October), Hardman weighed in on the duke's comments, focusing on his hopes for reconciliation with his father, King Charles, and his brother, Prince William.
Palace Reaction to Harry's Interview
"I think at the Palace there will be a sort of rolling of eyes. It's a very long interview he's given; it's about 45 minutes long," Robert told presenter Leah Boleto. "Obviously there is that part where he talks about reconciling, but I think there will be slight exasperation at the Palace that Harry has yet again eclipsed a very important week of royal duties."
He noted that the interview coincided with the start of a state visit by the Sultan of Oman, describing state visits as "the number one part of royal life." He also pointed out that on 21 October, the King, the Queen, and the Prince of Wales would be marking the 60th anniversary of Aberfan, another significant moment. "Yet here's Harry talking about himself and taking the headlines, so I think there will be a bit of frustration about that," he added.
Reconciliation Hopes and Challenges
While acknowledging it is "positive" to hear that Harry would like to reconcile with his family, Hardman noted that "in the course of a very long interview he doesn't really explain how that is going to happen." Asked if the interview could bridge the gap between Harry and William, he said, "There are some positives in it, and certainly the tone is upbeat, by saying 'I want a reconciliation.'"
However, he predicted it would take "much longer" for Harry to "patch things up with his brother" due to the "loss of trust" resulting from his tell-all memoir, Spare, released in 2023.
Harry's Interview with GQ
Hardman's appearance on Sky News came just hours after Harry's pre-recorded interview with GQ was released. Speaking with Zach Baron in New York, the 42-year-old revealed his hopes for reconciliation. "Some people don't want it to work out. I want it to work out. With everything else that's going on in the world, the most important thing is to reconcile - that's the key point," he said.
He added, "Scars stick around forever. But what your perception is, and what your mindset is toward those things that have happened, letting go of the past, that's something that I would encourage everybody to do. If there are certain things from the past that are still affecting your everyday, that's harder to let go of. But yeah, for me, there's enough drama in the world and enough drama in people's lives than to continue with issues with family."
