Expert: King Charles finds Prince Harry's criticism of Queen Camilla 'unforgivable'

King Charles III is good at holding grudges.

Despite reportedly trying to make amends with his family, Prince Harry's 2023 memoir, "Spare," has caused a rift between him and his father, King Charles, who is still unable to forgive his younger son for portraying Queen Camilla as the villain in the book.

According to Christopher Andersen, author of "The King," Charles finds criticism of Camilla unforgivable, as he claimed to Planet Chronicle Digital.

"Harry made it clear that he felt Camilla was the villain in the piece, which still bothers the king and may make it difficult for him to forgive him. It is unlikely that they will ever forgive Harry for his comments."

Andersen stated that the Duke of Sussex was on his own.

In February, Harry, who has a strained relationship with his family, hurried to London for a brief visit after the king, 75, was diagnosed with an undisclosed type of cancer.

Since his father left royal duties in 2020 and moved to California with his wife, the prince, 39, has had limited contact with him. He has shared details of their strained relationship in TV interviews, a documentary, and his memoir, which was published in January 2023.

In interviews promoting his book, Harry accused his stepmother, 76, of leaking private conversations to the media to improve her own reputation. He accused members of the royal family of "getting into bed with the devil" to gain favorable tabloid coverage, specifically mentioning Camilla's efforts to rehabilitate her image with the public after her longtime affair with his father.

"Harry revealed to CBS that the connections she was forging within the British press made her dangerous. There was an open willingness on both sides to trade information. With a family built on hierarchy and her on the path to becoming queen consort, there would be people or bodies left in the street."

The allegations against Camilla were highly sensitive due to her involvement in the dissolution of Charles' marriage to Princess Diana, who was Harry's mother.

The Princess of Wales once referred to Camilla, who had a long-term affair with Charles, as the third person in their marriage. Despite initial public rejection, Camilla has gained support through her charitable work and has helped Charles adapt to modern British culture.

Harry admits to having complicated emotions regarding his father's 2005 marriage to Camilla. Despite his belief that she had put him on her personal PR altar, he still wished for her happiness. He even joked that perhaps she would become less dangerous if she was content.

Andersen claimed that Harry still "resents" Camilla.

"According to Andersen, Prince William and Prince Harry were against their father marrying Camilla. They tried to persuade him against it, but ultimately had to present a public image of acceptance. It took Charles a long time, over two decades, to convince his mother to accept Camilla as his future wife. The turning point came during the 2002 Trooping the Colour events when Queen Elizabeth II allowed Camilla to appear with the royal family for the first time. Later, during the Diamond Jubilee, Camilla was allowed to ride with the queen in the royal carriage because Prince Philip was briefly ill with pneumonia."

Andersen stated that it was evident at that moment that the queen had decided to set aside her past emotions and welcome Camilla into the royal family. The king had been pushing the queen to accept Camilla for a long time, using various methods. It is important to remember that the king had promised never to make Camilla queen. This promise still bothers both Harry and William.

"Unfortunately, Charles promised he would never make Camilla queen, as he believed the people's feelings towards Diana would prevent him from doing so. However, he ultimately went against his word and crowned her. As a result, both William and Harry feel a sense of betrayal on this issue to this day."

Harry will have a particularly difficult time reconciling with someone other than his father or stepmother, according to Andersen.

"Andersen stated that William is the most challenging individual in the current situation. He has taken Harry's comments about him very personally and is moody. Although he is highly charming and skilled in interpersonal relationships, Andersen believes that William is the most moody person he has ever met. Despite his great people skills, William is extremely stubborn and resistant to change."

Harry discusses his rivalry with William, the heir to the British throne, in "Spare."

In 2019, at Kensington Palace, the brothers had a heated argument, according to Harry. At that time, Harry stated that William referred to Meghan as "difficult," "rude," and "abrasive." Harry claimed that William grabbed him by the collar, tore his necklace, and pushed him down.

"I fell onto the dog's bowl and it shattered under my weight, the fragments piercing my skin," Harry stated.

Andersen stated to Planet Chronicle Digital that it would be simpler for Charles to "forgive" Harry despite his remarks about Camilla than William.

Andersen stated, "If William can construct a bridge, Harry hopes that his brother and father will eventually accept the olive branch he has extended multiple times. However, it hasn't happened yet, and I don't foresee it happening in the near future."

"William is also dealing with a crisis as his wife, Kate, is ill. Given the situation, I believe he may not have the capacity to handle another issue, which is his brother's problem."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.