Prince Harry has been accused of ‘rubbing salt in his family’s wounds’ with his sweeping accusations and ‘campaign of blame’.
In his latest television interview to plug his explosive memoir, the prince claimed that the Royal Family had launched a war against him – with the collusion of the British Press – to undermine the credibility of his book.
Speaking on The Late Show in New York, the fifth in line to the throne – who has used his ghost-written memoir and accompanying interviews to launch a series of vitriolic attacks on his family – claimed that his so-called truth-bombs made them feel ‘uncomfortable and scared’.
Asked by host Stephen Colbert whether there is an ‘active campaign by the rest of your family, the royal house, as it were, to undermine this book and you as you support it’, Harry replied: ‘Of course. And mainly by the British Press because they….’
The fifth in line to the throne – who has used his ghost-written memoir and accompanying interviews to launch a series of vitriolic attacks on his family – claimed that his so-called truth-bombs made the royal family feel ‘uncomfortable and scared’
Buckingham Palace has consistently refused to react to the prince’s provocation, believing there is nothing to be gained
Colbert interrupts: ‘But aided and abetted by the Palace?’
Harry replies: ‘Again, of course. This is the other side of the story, right. After 38 years they have told their story and this is the other side of the story. And there’s a lot in here that perhaps makes people feel uncomfortable and scared.’
Buckingham Palace has consistently refused to react to the prince’s provocation, believing there is nothing to be gained – particularly when it comes to the hope of one day healing family relationships – from getting into a public tit for tat with the angry prince.
But those with knowledge of the break-down of his relationship with his family – who have held back from criticising him out of respect to the King – believe he has now crossed a line.
They are particularly angry at Harry’s refusal to take any responsibility for his own actions and of his ‘wilful ignorance’ in refusing to acknowledge how hurtful his increasingly bitter attacks on family members have become.
One source, who did not wish to be named, said: ‘His is a one-sided truth, unfortunately. Harry clearly believes what he says.
His latest US television appearance saw Harry appear on one of America’s most popular talk shows, taking part in an embarrassing skit which poked fun at royal tradition
‘The reason why he and Meghan left was not because they were forced out, as they claim, or that they dramatically fled for their lives,’ one royal source said
‘The trouble is that no-one else recognises very much of it, particularly when it comes to events surrounding his and Meghan’s departure from the Royal Family.
‘The reason why he and Meghan left was not because they were forced out, as they claim, or that they dramatically fled for their lives. It was simply because the Royal Family and the institution wouldn’t do everything they wanted them to do.
‘This latest interview is just another salvo in their campaign of blame.’
Another added: ‘Aside from how much of what he alleges is even correct, this constant trashing of his family is just rubbing salt into their wounds. It’s really terribly unfair.
‘At the heart of it all is the story of a very sad family breakdown – Harry’s own included – and one that will never have a happy ending unless he allows people some time and space to heal.’
His latest US television appearance saw Harry appear on one of America’s most popular talk shows, taking part in an embarrassing skit which poked fun at royal tradition.
Prince Harry’s book, Spare, was released on January 10 and quickly became one of the fastest selling non-fiction books ever
Another royal source said: ‘Aside from how much of what he alleges is even correct, this constant trashing of his family is just rubbing salt into their wounds
The prince arrives at the New York studios to be greeted on a red carpet by two regal trumpeters wearing replicas of the State Trumpeters of the Household Cavalry’s uniforms.
The prince yells at Colbert in a show of mock humility: ‘Woah… stop. Stephen, not needed, but thank you, I appreciate it.’
‘What are you talking about? This isn’t for you!’ the host responds, before urging Harry: ‘Get out of the way, he’s coming!’
At that point, actor Tom Hanks comes around the corner, jokingly exclaiming: ‘I’m back! Where’s my fanfare?’ while Harry throws rose petals at him.
In the hot seat, Harry, 38, agrees to drink shots of tequila to calm the nerves he must feel as a ‘private person’ for having to be such a public face for his book.
Prince Harry suggests that both the media and monarchy felt ‘threatened’ by the very existence of the couple
He receives a notably warm reception from the audience, especially when he invites them to join him. Colbert says: ‘They’re already on your side, man, you don’t have to get them drunk.’
Harry describes writing the book as a ‘cathartic experience’ and one that brought up ‘old memories I didn’t even think I had’, before veering off into several rambling monologues about the British Press.
He also claimed that ‘abuse and harassment’ from the media, which was endorsed by Buckingham Palace, was the reason he and Meghan ‘were forced to leave’.
‘We fled my home country,’ he said dramatically, of their decision to move to California and buy a multi-million pound mansion.
He suggests that both the media and monarchy felt ‘threatened’ by their very existence, adding: ‘That is when I realised that actually our mere existence outside that institutional control was more of a threat. And a similar thing… happened to my mum as well.
‘They always knew that my wife was going to leave because of the way they were abusing her but the most embarrassing thing was when I decided to go with her.’
At one point he describes the interview – during which he was asked no questions challenging his version of events – as being like therapy and held his interviewer’s hands jokingly.
He also plays to the audience, telling them what a ‘great place’ America is to live, to loud whoops and cheers.
Harry also confirmed that many newspaper stories about the breakdown of his relationship with his brother – denied at the time by the Palace on his behalf – were true, but said they were wrongly ‘pinned on his wife’.
The prince also showed off the now-famous necklace which was broken when he claims William physically attacked him in a row over Meghan’s ‘difficult’ behaviour but has now been mended.
He showed off two silver tags hanging from it that Meghan gave him engraved with images of his children’s heartbeats, plus a third showing a tiger’s eye that a friend in Botswana made for him.
In an interview with ITV’s Tom Bradby on Sunday evening, Prince Harry expressed doubt at the official account of the death of his mother
Asked what his mother would have thought of the estrangement between the two brothers, Harry says he believes it would never have got to that point had she been alive.
The prince talks a great deal about the extensive therapy he has received and how it has ‘unlocked’ memories he had buried.
Remarkably, he says he has been using Diana’s favourite perfume as part of his treatment, saying: ‘Her scent, her perfume and spraying it and being able unlock memories that I never thought I had… but there are memories pre-12-year-old Harry that I will never be able to unlock and that sucks.’
He added that when he started therapy he realised that he was ‘speaking a different language’ from the rest of his family and palace officials.
