King Charles is famously in favour of downsizing – preferring a slimmed down monarchy and a more resourceful staff in the palaces. But, if new claims are to be believed, the King is also partial to keeping his feedback short and to the point.
As reported in The Sun, early snippets from a new royal book out on Tuesday (November 28) shed light on how Harry and Meghan’s Netflix series – their first release as part of a deal said to be worth around £79M ($100M) - was received in the royal households.
In the book, titled Endgame: Inside the Royal Family and the Monarchy's Fight for Survival, the king had just two words for his youngest son, labelling him "that fool".
Quoting the book, the report reads, "At the Palace, heads were in hands and migraines were brewing. [Charles] went from not wanting anyone to talk about his son to openly criticising ‘that fool.’"
The Netflix series wasn’t the first time the Sussexes decided to deviate from the well-worn trope of "never explain, never complain" – something thought to have been deeply instilled into the Royal Family for generations.
Before they released their six-episode documentary series in 2022, they sat down for an explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey.
It sent shockwaves around the world as Meghan Markle described how relentless the news coverage about her led her to consider self-harm when she and Harry were still actively performing royal duties.
In one of the most headline-making revelations, the pair also revealed that when they had announced Markle's pregnancy, at least one member of Harry's family had asked about the colour of the baby's skin.
This is another topic explored in the forthcoming book – with claims that Meghan personally wrote to King Charles expressing concern about two royals who made the remarks.
The letters were said to be sent in spring 2021, after she and Harry had sat down for their unprecedented interview with Oprah.
Charles is said to have wanted his return letters to express how he felt no "casual prejudice" had been involved.
The names of the two accused royals have not been revealed in a leaked copy to The Sun and the author says he knows the names but “laws in the United Kingdom prevent me from reporting who they were.”
While the royals tend not to address things - again going back to their Never Explain, Never Complain rule - the Oprah claims did lead to a rare statement from the Palace - and this one was a touch longer than Charles' apparent two-word riposte.
A statement from Buckingham Palace at the time read, "The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan... The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning. While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately."
