Prince Harry's portrayal of King Charles as a distant father who struggled to show affection is facing a fresh challenge from an unexpected account. A woman who once spent time with the Royal Family recalls a markedly different Charles: a playful father chasing his young sons through the corridors of Balmoral as they squealed with joy.
The striking recollection comes from West End star Ruthie Henshall's new memoir, The Showgirl and the Prince, offering another perspective on one of the most scrutinised father-son relationships in the Royal Family. It also comes as Harry and Charles appear to be making cautious efforts to repair their fractured relationship.
Ruthie Henshall Recalls a Playful King Charles at Balmoral
Henshall's memoir details her five-year relationship with Prince Edward, which lasted from 1988 to 1993. During that period, she spent time with members of the Royal Family, including at Balmoral.
In the book, Henshall recalls watching Charles interact with William and Harry when they were children. 'I watched Charles playing rough and tumble with William and Harry (then aged ten and eight) in the Balmoral corridors,' she wrote.
'He clearly loved those boys, and they were squealing with joy as Daddy chased them,' she added. The memory presents a notably warm picture of Charles as a father, contrasting with some of the accounts Harry has shared publicly.
Harry's Own Words, A Father 'Not Quite Ready'
Henshall's recollection sits in stark contrast to the version of Charles that emerged from Harry's memoir, Spare. In the book, Harry described his father as emotionally distant and suggested Charles had never seemed entirely prepared for the responsibilities and demands of parenthood.
Harry wrote: 'Not that Pa hadn't always been a bit checked out. He'd always given an air of being not quite ready for parenthood - the responsibilities, the patience, the time. Even he, though a proud man, would've admitted as much. But single parenthood? Pa was never made for that.'
Harry's comments referred to the period after his parents' separation and Princess Diana's death. The Prince and Princess of Wales separated in 1992, divorced in 1996, and Diana died in 1997, when Harry was 12.
Harry also told Oprah Winfrey in 2021 that Charles had stopped financially supporting him and Meghan in 2020. Clarence House subsequently said the monarch had provided 'a substantial sum' during their transition and that the funding 'ceased in the summer of 2020', when the couple became financially independent.
Harry further claimed that his father stopped taking his calls during the period surrounding the Sussexes' decision to step back as senior royals. He later said there was 'a lot to work through' but insisted he would 'always love him.'
Father and Son Show Signs of a Thaw
Recent events suggest the relationship between Harry and Charles remains complicated, but there have also been signs of renewed contact. During Harry's July 2026 UK visit, an offer for him to stay at a royal residence became the subject of a public disagreement between his representatives and Buckingham Palace.
Harry's side said he accepted the offer after making alternative security arrangements, while palace sources said he had missed the deadline required to organise staffing and security, meaning the accommodation could no longer be provided. Buckingham Palace subsequently confirmed that Harry would not stay there during the visit.
Despite the awkward episode, Harry later met Charles and Queen Camilla privately at Highgrove, where the King also saw Archie and Lilibet for the first time in four years. The private family meeting marked a potentially significant step in the relationship between father and son.
Harry's relationship with his brother, Prince William, remains considerably more strained. There were no reports of the brothers meeting during Harry's July visit, underlining how differently the Duke's relationships with his father and brother currently appear to be developing.
Henshall's recollection does not disprove Harry's experience of his childhood, but it offers a different eyewitness perspective on Charles as a father. Her description of a father laughing and playing with his sons adds another layer to a relationship that has long been defined by competing accounts of what happened behind the palace walls.
