Skip to main contentSkip to footer

King Charles's heartbreaking plea to sons Prince William and Prince Harry revealed

Details are revealed in Harry's autobiography

king charles prince william prince harry
Gemma Strong
Online Digital News Director
Share this:

Prince Harry has detailed a heartbreaking moment between himself, his brother Prince William and their father King Charles in his autobiography, Spare.

As well as claiming he was physically assaulted by William, Harry has shared a private moment between the siblings and their dad, the then-Prince Charles.

WATCH: The year the royal family changed forever

He recounts an anguished meeting with William and Charles after the Windsor Castle funeral of Prince Philip, the Queen's husband, in April 2021.

INSIDE: Prince Harry and Prince William's sad relationship

READ: Prince William feels 'triggered but unable to say what he'd like', says Princess Diana's close confidante

DISCOVER: Prince Harry and Queen Consort Camilla's complicated relationship through the years

By this point, relations between Harry and his family were already in turmoil. Charles, Harry says, stood between his warring sons, "looking up at our flushed faces".

prince harry prince william© Photo: Getty Images

Harry has also alleged that his brother physically assaulted him

"Please, boys," Harry quotes his father as saying. "Don't make my final years a misery."

Extracts from Spare have been leaked to the Guardian ahead of its release on 10 January.

They include allegations from Harry that a confrontation took place at his London home in 2019 and left him with a visible injury to his back after the Prince of Wales grabbed his brother by the collar and ripped his necklace before knocking him to the floor.

prince philip funeral© Photo: Getty Images

William and Harry pictured at Prince Philip's funeral

Harry further claimed William had called his wife Meghan Markle "difficult", "rude" and "abrasive" – comments which the younger brother said parroted "the press narrative" about his wife.

According to The Guardian newspaper, the "extraordinary scene" is "one of many in Spare" which is due to be published on January 10.

prince harry prince charles© Photo: Getty Images

Harry and his father King Charles in happier times

The newspaper said it was able to obtain a copy of the book despite "stringent pre-launch security around the book".

Elsewhere in the book, Harry also speaks about his ill-advised decision to wear a Nazi uniform to a costume party in 2005.

He has now claimed that it was William and Kate who encouraged him to choose that particular outfit.

prince harry william kate© Photo: Getty Images

Harry claims William and Kate approved of his Nazi costume

"I phoned Willy and Kate, asked what they thought. Nazi uniform, they said," Harry writes, adding that he went home and tried it on for them.

"They both howled. Worse than Willy's leotard outfit! Way more ridiculous! Which, again, was the point."

Kensington Palace declined to comment on the revelations from the book. 

MORE EXPLOSIVE STORIES FROM SPARE LEAKED PREVIEW

Make sure you never miss a ROYAL story! Sign up to The Royal Explainer newsletter to receive your weekly dose of royal features and other exclusive content straight to your inbox.