Prince Harry and King Charles' Rift Grows Deeper as The Duke of Sussex Finds a New 'Father Figure'

One source claimed that Prince Harry has made a 'father figure' connection in the Golden State. A close friend of the Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle, Katharine McPhee, made the assertion a few years ago that Harry and her husband David Foster are very close. Living in Montecito, a neighborhood frequented by celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Katy Perry, Foster is a year younger than the King and resides close to the Sussexes.

As reported by Tatler, in 2020 McPhee revealed on the Access Hollywood television program, "My husband has a really, really beautiful relationship with Harry. They're like, they're so cute. They're like father and son. We just stay in touch with them. But mostly, Meghan and I knew each other from childhood, but really Harry and my husband are friends, so it's really nice."

Foster, who naturally connected Harry and Markle to the enigmatic owner of the expansive mansion where they spent Christmas, the New Year, and the first half of this year, also helped arrange their accommodation on Vancouver Island. Foster was instrumental in assisting the royal couple in finding their Pacific Palisades house, according to McPhee. She added, "David is the resource guy. He knows all the places. He loves to help people. We just want them to end up wherever they feel safest and happiest."

Rarely have Charles and his son been seen together since Prince Harry stepped down from his royal responsibilities in 2020. The subsequent publication of his contentious tell-all memoir Spare, however, caused even more eyebrows to rise. The 39-year-old prince discussed his family extensively in the book, which came out in January 2023, going into great detail on all the purported fights and incidents that happened behind closed doors. Supposedly, Spare was the last straw for his father, King Charles, and brother, Prince William.

Nevertheless, all trust has reportedly been severed, and the King is now afraid that any serious discussions might lead to his downfall, according to a recent source. One purported Charles buddy made the following statement in The Sunday Times: "The problem for the King and other members of the family is the worry that if they have a chat with Harry, it will appear in Spare volume two. How do you regain the trust? I don't think Harry ever can. But from the conversations I’ve had with the King, I would never say their relationship is irreparable. The King’s capacity to forgive his son is undimmed. Other members of the royal family are much more weighted against Harry, that’s the problem."

It follows reports that Harry turned down an invitation to stay in Buckingham Palace on his last visit to the UK, preferring instead to stay at a hotel. The invitation came from his father before Harry's May trip to London, when he spoke at a ceremony commemorating the Invictus Games, a sports event for wounded soldiers and women. Harry did not meet with either his father or brother Prince William on his quick visit to his motherland.