Some people don't want it to work out: Prince Harry on royal family reconciliation

Prince Harry has expressed hope of reconciling with King Charles and the rest of the British royal family, saying he wants to move past their differences despite the deep rift that emerged after he stepped back from royal duties and moved to the United States in 2020.

In an interview with GQ magazine, the Duke of Sussex said reconciliation was particularly important given the turmoil in the world, adding that strained family relationships were something many people could relate to. "With everything else that's going on in the world, the most important thing is to reconcile," Harry, 42, said.

The prince, who has had a strained relationship with his elder brother, Prince William, for years, acknowledged that disagreements between siblings and fractured relationships between parents and children were common experiences.

He said the public's interest in the royal family's personal differences could also help others reflect on their own relationships and consider making efforts to repair them. "And some people don't want it to work out. I want it to work out," Harry said.

A spokesperson for Harry clarified that the remark was not intended as a dig at William or any other member of the royal family.

'IT'S NOT WORTH IT'

Harry said that while the emotional scars left by family disputes might never completely disappear, he wanted to encourage people to move beyond past grievances.

"Scars stick around forever," he said, adding that he believed continuing to hold on to family disputes was not worthwhile when there was already so much turmoil in the world.

"For me, there's enough drama in the world and enough drama in people's lives than to continue with issues with family," he told GQ. "It's not worth it."

The comments come after years of public tensions between Harry and the royal family following his and wife Meghan's decision to leave their roles as senior working royals and relocate to California in 2020.

The couple subsequently made a series of public disclosures and criticisms of the monarchy, further widening the divide. Harry's relationship with William has remained particularly strained, while contact with his father, King Charles, has been limited.

HARRY ON CHILDREN'S RETURN TO BRITAIN

In the interview, Harry also spoke about his children's experience of life in Britain, saying that their education at a British school had proved more meaningful to him than he had anticipated.

He said being able to send his children to a British school had "meant a lot" to him, describing their initial experience as positive.

"I didn't know how important it was to me. I always thought it was going to be something that we would try and do, but now they've been in school for two weeks. They're loving it and it's just giving them a whole different experience," he said.

Harry also reflected on his childhood, the impact of losing his mother, Princess Diana, when he was 12, and his long-standing efforts to address his mental health struggles.

- Ends

With agency inputs