The relationship between Britain’s royal brothers will be difficult to repair if their private conversations continue to be leaked to US media, a royal expert said.
On Tuesday, breakfast TV host Gayle King revealed that princes Harry and William had been in contact for the first time in months and said their conversation was not productive.
The high-profile disclosure reportedly alarmed senior members of the royal family, with some British tabloids likening it to a betrayal.
The media revelations will make it more difficult for the siblings to renew their relationship, a royal expert told The National.
"The royal family do not like providing a running commentary on their personal lives and personal relationships," said Robert Jobson, author of Prince Philip's Century.
"I really cannot see how there will be progress in building bridges and rebuilding broken relationships ... if their conversations are then broadcast to the world. That's not how the royal family works. There has to be trust and discretion."
King divulged details on American prime time TV of her conversation with Harry and his wife Meghan Markle after their interview with Oprah Winfrey.
She said on CBS This Morning: "I'm not trying to break news but I did actually call them to see how they were feeling, and it's true Harry has talked to his brother and he has talked to his father too.
“The word I was given was that those conversations were not productive but they are glad that they have at least started a conversation."
King said the couple were frustrated that alleged racism in the royal family had dominated the news agenda since the interview was broadcast on March 7.
"All they wanted all along was for the royals to intervene and tell the press to stop with the unfair, inaccurate, false stories that definitely have a racial slant," King said.
She said that Harry and Meghan wanted peace in the family, but that Meghan had "documents to back up everything", she told Winfrey.
Omid Scobie, a journalist with close links to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, said the leak was no different to briefings given by royals to members of the media.
He said on Twitter: "Bit confused here, so just want to get this new royal protocol correct. It's OKwhen info is leaked to the papers via a palace source but not when Gayle King shares it on TV?"
The racism allegations, which the royal family said would be investigated, plunged the monarchy into its biggest crisis since the death un 1997 of William and Harry's mother, Princess Diana.
On Tuesday, Prince Charles, 72, visited a mosque in London but made no comment about the furore.
He said he was thrilled that his father, Prince Philip, was back at his Windsor Castle home after a month-long stay in hospital.
"Very good news, I'm thrilled about it. I've spoken to him – several times," he said.
Philip, 99, husband of Queen Elizabeth II, left a London hospital on Tuesday after being treated for an infection and undergoing heart surgery.
Buckingham Palace issued a statement in which the duke thanked the medical staff and all those who had sent their good wishes. A royal source said he was in good spirits.
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Sun jukebox
Rufus Thomas, Bear Cat (The Answer to Hound Dog) (1953)
This rip-off of Leiber/Stoller’s early rock stomper brought a lawsuit against Phillips and necessitated Presley’s premature sale to RCA.
Elvis Presley, Mystery Train (1955)
The B-side of Presley’s final single for Sun bops with a drummer-less groove.
Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two, Folsom Prison Blues (1955)
Originally recorded for Sun, Cash’s signature tune was performed for inmates of the titular prison 13 years later.
Carl Perkins, Blue Suede Shoes (1956)
Within a month of Sun’s February release Elvis had his version out on RCA.
Roy Orbison, Ooby Dooby (1956)
An essential piece of irreverent juvenilia from Orbison.
Jerry Lee Lewis, Great Balls of Fire (1957)
Lee’s trademark anthem is one of the era’s best-remembered – and best-selling – songs.
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In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
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GAC GS8 Specs
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The Rub of Time: Bellow, Nabokov, Hitchens, Travolta, Trump and Other Pieces 1986-2016
Martin Amis,
Jonathan Cape
ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA
Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi
Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser
Rating: 4.5/5
The biog
Name: Mariam Ketait
Emirate: Dubai
Hobbies: I enjoy travelling, experiencing new things, painting, reading, flying, and the French language
Favourite quote: "Be the change you wish to see" - unknown
Favourite activity: Connecting with different cultures
