A new Amazon documentary focusing on King Charles III's lifelong environmental campaigning has been released, featuring an unexpected cameo from his estranged son, Prince Harry. The film, titled Finding Harmony: A King's Vision, provides a 90-minute exploration of the monarch's dedication to green issues and his personal philosophy of harmony with nature.
Royal Family Appearances Amid Strained Relations
Despite the well-documented rocky relationship between father and son, Prince Harry makes a fleeting appearance in sweet archive footage showing King Charles teaching his youngest son how to fish at Balmoral. This comes at a time when the pair have had limited contact, having last met in September for a 55-minute tea at Clarence House during one of Harry's previous trips to the UK.
The documentary also features Prince William in various stages of his life, from childhood moments with Charles at Highgrove to visiting a herd of cows with his father at Home Farm in 2004. Brief footage from the King's Coronation includes Prince Charlotte and Prince Louis with the Prince and Princess of Wales, while the late Queen Elizabeth II appears in archive footage filming a young Charles.
The King's Environmental Warning
In the film, King Charles delivers a stark warning about the state of the environment, stating that the situation is "rapidly going backwards" and that mankind is "actually destroying our means of survival." He expresses particular concern about both climate change and biodiversity loss, noting that "people don't seem to understand it's not just climate that's the problem."
The monarch reveals his determination to continue his environmental campaigning despite facing criticism over the years. He explains, "I just felt this was the approach that I was going to stick to. A course I set and I wasn't going to be diverted from."
Personal Insights and Historical Context
The documentary offers intimate glimpses into the King's personal life, showing him collecting eggs from his chickens at their "Cluckingham Palace" coop on his Highgrove estate and revealing his preference for "red Duke of Yorks" potatoes for baking. It also revisits the criticism Charles faced after his 1986 television interview where he mentioned talking to plants, a comment that narrator Kate Winslet says has "haunted him ever since."
Ian Skelly, co-author of the King's 2010 book Harmony: A New Way Of Looking At Our World, comments on this period, saying, "Those criticisms really upset him. He got treated very unfairly, seen very unfairly, and those of us that knew him better were quite upset by that."
Philosophical Foundations and Practical Applications
The film explores the origins and evolution of the King's "harmony" philosophy, which he first outlined in his 2010 book. This publication will be republished by HarperCollins in March to coincide with the documentary's release. The documentary demonstrates how The King's Foundation, headquartered at Dumfries House in Ayrshire, implements this philosophy through projects focusing on community regeneration, sustainable textiles, and traditional skills.
Despite the serious environmental messages, the King maintains hope for the future, suggesting that "by the time I shuffle off this mortal coil, there might be a little more awareness... of the need to bring things back together again."
Documentary Premiere and Reception
The King and Queen attended the premiere at Windsor Castle, which Buckingham Palace believes marks the first time a global movie premiere has been held at a royal residence. A spokesperson for the King described the film as "not a conventional royal documentary," noting that "there are no golden carriages here; no glittering crowns or crimson robes."
Instead, the spokesperson emphasized that the documentary represents "a deeply personal exploration of ideas that have shaped His Majesty's life and work: the interconnectedness of all things, the wisdom of traditional knowledge, and the belief that we can build a future that works in partnership with nature rather than against it." They added that it "sets a new high watermark for royal documentaries."
Finding Harmony: A King's Vision will be released on February 6 on Prime Video, available in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide. The documentary's blend of environmental advocacy, personal royal insights, and family dynamics creates a compelling portrait of a monarch determined to leave a lasting environmental legacy while navigating complex family relationships.
