‘The royals won’t be over the moon’ with Prince Harry’s GMA interview, ex-Palace butler claims – as experts say King Charles will be hoping Duke of Sussex doesn’t go into detail of his ‘treatment or diagnosis’

Buckingham Palace ‘won’t be over the moon’ at Prince Harry’s latest interview after he suggested his father’s illness could lead to a reconciliation – and will be hoping he ‘doesn’t say any more’, royal experts said today. 

The Duke of Sussex spoke about the monarch’s cancer diagnosis, saying ‘I love my family’ and that he was ‘grateful’ to be able to spend time with Charles last week.

But while Harry was restrained in refusing to say anything about his ‘outlook’ on his father’s health, commentators warned today that the Royal Family will fear that at a later point he could ‘start to go into details about the diagnosis or the treatment.’

Harry had made a quick transatlantic visit to see his father for around 45 minutes on February 6 – prompting claims that the two royals , estranged since the Duke quit as a working member of the family in 2020, could begin to rebuild their relationship.

Sources close to Harry and his wife Meghan Markle had told MailOnline last week that there would be no comment made about the details of the meeting.

But just over a week later, millions of TV viewers today watched the Duke give an interview with one of the biggest US news programmes, Good Morning America.

However, most of the chat was focused on the Invictus Games – and when Harry was asked for his ‘outlook’ on the King’s health, he said ‘that stays between me and him’.

The Duke of Sussex during the interview in Whistler with ABC correspondent Will Reeve

Meghan Markle, Prince Harry and Will Reeve are seen in a trailer for the GMA interview today

Prince Harry speaks to ABC’s Good Morning America presenter Will Reeve in Canada this week

King Charles III leaves The Lonodon Clinic with Queen Camilla by his side on January 29

Prince Harry and Charles at an event at the Natural History Museum in London in April 2019

But the Duke did say how he would likely be visiting his father again in the future: ‘I’ve got other trips planned that would take me through the UK or back to the UK, so I’ll stop in and see my family as much as I can.’

Grant Harrold, who worked as a butler for Charles for seven years when he was the Prince of Wales, said there could be concern within Buckingham Palace at the interview.

He told the New York Post: ‘If Harry is going into great discussion about anything, it’s possible that the royals won’t be over the moon.

‘Playing devil’s advocate, Harry could have asked his family if they were happy for him to speak about it publicly, but I don’t see, and from my own experiences with the household, I don’t see that having happened.

‘I don’t think William and the King will be thrilled about Harry’s interview. Even though the King has already shared some information on his diagnosis, he is very private.’

MailOnline also spoke to three other royal experts about the interview – with one saying there could be concerns about what may follow from Harry.

Phil Dampier said the King and Buckingham Palace had avoided responding to Harry’s comments in the past few years, which was a ‘deliberate policy by the King to not make things worse and leave the door open’.

Prince Harry speaks to Will Reeve at the Invictus Games 2025 event in Whistler yesterday

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle with ABC presenter Will Reeve in Whistler on Wednesday

Prince Harry is spotted alongside American TV presenter Will Reeve in Whistler on Wednesday

Camers follow Harry, Meghan and Will Reeve at the event in Whistler, Canada, on Wednesday

He also told MailOnline: ‘The one saving grace is that he hasn’t actually talked about the King’s diagnosis. I don’t think the Palace will hit back. I think they will just be hoping that he doesn’t say any more.

‘That will be the fear that he does start to go into details about the diagnosis or the treatment. Certainly in terms of talking about families coming together in terms of illness, we are yet to see further evidence of that.

‘When he starts seeing his father on a regular basis or when they go to see Meghan’s father, you might give them the benefit of the doubt. ‘

Fellow royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams said there would likely be relief at the Palace following the interview, given that no details of the meeting were divulged.

He told MailOnline: ‘I think the Palace would have been perturbed before they saw it, but I don’t think they had anything to be concerned about having seen it.

‘Also, I thought he would do this because it is a link to Invictus. That is the Invictus family as he sees it. It is a metaphor for togetherness and how to go forward.

‘It has done no harm. It is a brick that the Sussexes have put along the wall of reconciliation. I think the Palace will have no concerns over the fact that he naturally would not share details of his father’s illness.

Meghan, 42, watched on with a huge smile on her face while in Whistler, Canada, yesterday

Harry proved himself the thrill-seeker in Whistler yesterday on the skeleton bobsled track

While Meghan did not take part in the bobsledding yesterday, she was able to enjoy watching

Meghan was wrapped up warm yesterday, sporting a navy beanie as she smiled at Harry

‘It’s a question of what he said. It was perfectly sincere. Like how he made the transatlantic dash. The fact he only spent half an hour isn’t the point, because the King may have been tired.’

And royal biographer Andrew Lownie also told MailOnline: ‘I think, probably, the Palace will just let the whole thing drop. It’s best to just let sleeping dogs lie.

‘Everyone is cautious about what they say to him because it may be relayed.

‘To fair to him, he was asked questions and he politely answered them.’

Buckingham Palace has not given details about Charles’s cancer and it is not expected to comment on Harry’s interview.

And Mr Harrold said: ‘If Harry is talking and it’s not approved and he’s just done it off his own back – I must admit it does look like that, then, the way the royal family work, they will just close doors.’

During the chat on GMA, it was suggested that a family illness could have a ‘re-unifying effect’, and when Harry was asked ‘is that possible in this case?’ he replied: ‘Yeah, I’m sure’.

Harry and Meghan are in Canada staging a number of events with Invictus competitors to mark a year to go until Harry’s Invictus Games, for wounded and sick veterans and military, is staged in the country.

When asked by an onlooker whether she planned to join Harry on the sled, she said: ‘I can’t!’

Prince Harry reacts after sliding down the track on a skeleton sled in Whistler yesterday

The Duchess of Sussex opted to wear her hair down during the event in Whistler yesterday

Meghan held onto Harry’s arm as the pair walked through the resort of Whistler yesterday

They are being followed by a film crew led by Will Reeve, the son of the late Superman star Christopher Reeve, who interviewed Harry in the winter sports town of Whistler, which is hosting the 2025 Invictus Games alongside Vancouver.

Gesturing towards Invictus competitors Harry added: ‘Throughout all these families I see it on a day-to-day basis, the strength of the family unit coming together. I think any illness, any sickness brings families together.’

There was no meeting between Harry and his brother the Prince of Wales last Tuesday after Harry spent time with Charles at Clarence House.

The breakdown in the bond between the royal brothers can be traced back to the early period of Harry’s relationship with wife Meghan when his then fiancee had a falling out with the Princess of Wales in the run-up to their wedding.

Since stepping down as working royals in 2020 and moving to California, the Sussexes have aired allegations and grievances against the monarchy and members of the royal family which have also soured relations.

Speaking to Reeve, Harry said: ‘Look, I love my family. The fact that I was able to get on a plane and go and see him and spend any time with him, I’m grateful for that.’

The Duke was also asked about his life in America, something he described as ‘amazing’, and whether he had contemplated becoming a US citizen, with the royal saying he had ‘considered’ it.

The Duke of Sussex achieved an impressive top speed of 61mph in Whistler yesterday

The Duchess clutched onto her husband’s arm as she strolled through the resort yesterday

Meghan opted for natural makeup, as she donned a navy blue beanie in Whistler yesterday

The Duke of Sussex laughed as he held his crash helmet after taking a skeleton run yesterday

Harry added: ‘The American citizenship is a thought that has crossed my mind but certainly not something that’s a high priority for me right now.’

Harry, who lives in California with his wife and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, flew to the UK last week to see the King.

He visited without Meghan and their children, less than 24 hours after the announcement about Charles’ health.

The interview comes after a week of announcements from Harry and his wife the Duchess of Sussex.

Meghan signed a deal with Lemonada Media to record new podcast shows, and the company will distribute her previous series.

Her Archetypes podcast about female stereotypes ran for just one series before a lucrative deal with Spotify ended in 2023.

The couple also relaunched their Archewell website, the name of their foundation, rebranding it The Office of Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.