King Charles made a desperate plea to warring sons Prince William and Prince Harry

The ongoing rift between Prince William and Prince Harry has certainly impacted their father, King Charles III, even though the monarch has remained outwardly stoic, embodying the “don’t complain, never explain” philosophy of his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II. However, Prince Harry’s memoir *Spare* provides a rare glimpse into how this family discord weighs on Charles, who’s not only dealing with the challenge of uniting his fractured family but also with his own health struggles.

Harry recounts a particularly heated moment during Prince Philip’s funeral in April 2021, where he and William almost came to blows behind closed doors. Tensions ran high, and as the two brothers began exchanging angry words, Charles, then Prince of Wales, was forced to intervene. Harry recalls his father stepping between them, pleading, “Please, boys. Don’t make my final years a misery.” This moment is a rare insight into Charles’s distress over the brothers’ estrangement and how, despite his reserved public persona, he is deeply troubled by the ongoing conflict.

Today, as he grapples with his responsibilities as king and manages his health—reportedly battling cancer—the strain of this unresolved family rift must be even more pressing. Although their father’s concerns and current health issues haven’t yet brought William and Harry back together, there’s hope that the weight of Charles’s heartfelt plea will eventually inspire reconciliation between the two brothers.