Prince Harry has accused his stepmother, Camilla, of leaking stories about the royal family to the British media, among other things.
Although the prince and his brother, William, had a fortunate upbringing, it was also a difficult one because they lost their mother, Princess Diana, when they were young.
Harry still holds strong feelings towards his stepmother despite leaving the royal family, and rumors of a decades-old rivalry. When Camilla’s affair with Prince Charles became public, the media storm that developed was considered controversial. Harry’s relationship with Camilla is challenging. When they first met, it was said to have been “awkward and tense.” In 2018, investigative journalist Tom Bower claimed that the Queen initially didn’t want any interaction with Camilla. However, Prince William and Prince Harry were introduced to the future Queen Consort in 1998. Harry slammed Camilla in an interview, and there have been reports of their relationship being “very difficult” in recent years.
Camilla and Prince Charles’ Affair
Camilla and Prince Charles’ affair began in 1986 when Charles was still married to Princess Diana. In 1989, Diana confronted Camilla over the affair, telling her to back off. According to Camilla, Diana said, “You’ve got everything you ever wanted. You’ve got all the men in the world falling in love with you, and you’ve got two beautiful children, what more do you want?” Diana replied, “I want my husband. I’m sorry I’m in the way, and it must be hell for both of you. But I do know what’s going on. Don’t treat me like an idiot.”
Harry’s Relationship with Camilla
When Princess Diana passed away, Harry was a few months away from turning 14. With her passing, the brothers were left without a loving mother who had always raised them like normal children. They got a stepmother in Camilla, though she and Harry clashed. When he met Camilla for the first time, it was said to have been “awkward and tense.” “To be fair to Camilla, she never tried to be mummy, but she was the ‘other woman’ and she was there and taking daddy’s time,” said a palace source. Other royal experts also paint a picture of Harry and Camilla not getting along initially. In her book “The Palace Papers,” royal author Tina Brown wrote that Harry “unnerved” Camilla.
Queen Elizabeth and Camilla
At the time of Diana’s passing, there was a campaign to “introduce” Charles and Camilla’s relationship to the public. However, that was abandoned in the wake of Diana’s passing. Investigative journalist Tom Bower claimed in 2018 that the Queen initially didn’t want any interaction with Camilla.
Conclusion
Prince Harry’s relationship with Camilla has had its ups and downs, with reports indicating that it is currently “very difficult.” However, in recent years, Camilla’s reputation with the British public has greatly improved. Her entrance into the Royal Family was controversial when news of her affair with Charles became public. Although Harry and William loved their stepmother “to bits” when they were younger, Harry’s relationship with Camilla has remained strained. Harry has accused Camilla of leaking stories about his family to the British media, and he has expressed his disapproval of her becoming Queen Consort.