ComScore

Former Royal Butler Says Prince Harry's Recent Solo Trip Masked a Message to King Charles: 'I Have No Doubt'

"He loves and respects Charles"

Prince Harry
Brian Otieno/Getty Images for Sentebale

Just a few weeks ago, I saw Prince Harry nod to his big brother, Prince William, by wearing a special necklace that's loaded with meaning. And now, it appears the Duke of Sussex is turning his attention to his parents.

In case you missed it, the 40-year-old royal recently traveled to New York to support his patronages and philanthropic initiatives, including the HALO Trust and The Diana Award. He participated in panels and made powerful statements about the inspiration behind his advocacy, while also mentioning the influence of his late mother, Princess Diana. So, it comes as no surprise that many viewed his recent engagements as a heartfelt tribute to the princess.

Speaking on behalf of Slingo, former royal butler Grant Harrold—who worked as King Charles’s personal butler at Highgrove from 2004 to 2011—said in a statement, “Diana was a massive advocate for so many charities, and Harry has been inspired by that. This trip has seen Harry speak about his mother and her legacy and it’s definitely a tribute to her.”

However, Princess Di wasn't the only one Prince Harry paid tribute to.

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, speaks at HALO Trust
ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images

Harrold continued, “He’s also spoken passionately about climate change, which is a cause close to his father’s heart. I have no doubt he was honoring his father too.”

FYI, King Charles has been outspoken about his passion for environmental causes, having delivered powerful speeches and penned emotional essays about climate change. Meanwhile, Prince Harry recently attended a Climate Week event during his brief stop in New York, where he delivered a speech about the harsh realities of climate change. He said in a statement, "We can't ignore the reality of climate change. Every year we break new temperature records...As a father of two children, that's absolutely terrifying. The level of suffering is heartbreaking."

King Charles and Prince Harry
Samir Hussein/WireImage

With regards to the king's and Prince Harry's current relationship, Harrold believes that the latter's latest efforts could serve as an olive branch. He added, “He loves and respects Charles and has a great deal of admiration for him. I think he’s wanted to go out there and give a nod of support to his dad, and maybe he’ll hope that Charles will see this and get behind him.”

Earlier this year, the father of two was able to visit His Majesty following his cancer diagnosis, which suggests the father-son duo are on good terms. When asked about their one-on-one meeting in February, he told Good Morning America, “Look, I love my family. The fact that I was able to get on a plane and go and see him and spend any time with him, I’m grateful for that.”

Here's hoping we'll see a happy reunion between these two in the near future.

Stay up-to-date on every breaking royal family story by subscribing here.



nakeisha campbell bio

Associate Editor, News and Entertainment

  • Writes celebrity news, TV/movie reviews and SEO-focused entertainment articles
  • Interviews celebrities and covers red carpet events
  • Has 8+ years of experience covering entertainment topics