Prince Harry's Guilt Over Royal Family Separation Is "Overwhelming"

The Duke Of Sussex Hosts The Rugby League World Cup 2021 Draws

(Image credit: WPA Pool)

published 3 April 2020

Despite early reports that Prince Harry had no regrets about leaving the Royal Family, now sources say he's worried about his family during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
After Prince Charles called to tell his son about his diagnosis, Harry is apparently "overwhelmed with guilt."
Much will change for the royal post-split, including potentially getting a new last name.

Prince Harry is, reportedly, excited to be in L.A. with wife Meghan Markle and son Archie Harrison. However—as is quite expected, he's also feeling the separation between him and his family right now, especially after Prince Charles tested positive for COVID-19 (Charles is now believed to be on the mend).

"Despite their ups and downs, hearing that his dad is sick with a potentially life-threatening illness is a huge wake-up call," a source told Us Weekly. "And he’s overwhelmed with feelings of guilt for not being closer to home while this is all going on." Apparently Charles made a call to both his sons, Harry and Prince William, to deliver the news. (Can you imagine getting that call? Devastating.)

"During the heart-wrenching call, [Harry] confessed to feeling beyond helpless, being over 5,000 miles away in L.A.," explained the source. "Charles tried to calm Harry down by saying he’s OK and that he’s only suffering from mild symptoms, which slightly helped put his mind at ease but he’s [Harry] still worried. Harry’s admitted it’s hit home that Charles and the Queen aren’t going to be around forever."

On the plus side, it does seem like the communication channels are open again, perhaps in a way they weren't before. "Harry tries to keep in regular contact with the Queen and Charles, but due to the 8-hour time difference calls are few and far between," the source adds. "The royals are desperately trying to rally together amid the pandemic, which is a huge struggle given that they’ve been forced to physically separate."

In the meantime, Harry and Meghan are self-isolating in California. They just made their last post on Sussex Royal, talking about this "fragile" moment in the world and referencing their continuing work:

A post shared by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (@sussexroyal)
A photo posted by on

But it's speculated we're not going to hear much from them for a while.

For more stories like this, including celebrity news, beauty and fashion advice, savvy political commentary, and fascinating features, sign up for the Marie Claire newsletter.

SUBSCRIBE HERE

Katherine’s a contributing syndications editor at Marie Claire who covers fashion, culture, and lifestyle. In her role, she writes stories that are syndicated by MSN and other outlets. She’s been a full-time freelancer for over a decade and has had roles with Cosmopolitan (where she covered lifestyle, culture, and fashion SEO content) and Bustle (where she was their movies and culture writer). She has bylines in New York Times, Parents, InStyle, Refinery29, and elsewhere. Her work has also been syndicated by ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, Seventeen, Good Housekeeping, and Women’s Health, among others. In addition to her stories reaching millions of readers, content she's written and edited has qualified for a Bell Ringer Award and received a Communicator Award.

Katherine has a BA in English and art history from the University of Notre Dame and an MA in art business from the Sotheby's Institute of Art (with a focus on marketing/communications). She covers a wide breadth of topics: she's written about how to find the very best petite jeans, how sustainable travel has found its footing on Instagram, and what it's like to be a professional advice-giver in the modern world. Her personal essays have run the gamut from learning to dress as a queer woman to navigating food allergies as a mom. She also has deep knowledge of SEO/EATT, affiliate revenue, commerce, and social media; she regularly edits the work of other writers. She speaks at writing-related events and podcasts about freelancing and journalism, mentors students and other new writers, and consults on coursework. Currently, Katherine lives in Boston with her husband and two kids, and you can follow her on Instagram. If you're wondering about her last name, it’s “I go to dinner,” not “Her huge ego,” but she responds to both.