... as Charles mourns alone for father in Welsh retreat
PRINCE Charles has retreated to his Welsh home for a few days as he mourns his father.
Sources say the 72-year- old had long planned to spend the week at Llwynywermod in Llandovery, as he always does at this time of year, but it would help provide solace following the death of the Duke of Edinburgh.
The prince had hoped to carry out a small number of engagements while he was there but they have been cancelled as the Royal Family is officially in mourning.
Charles is not accompanied by his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall, who is normally with her own children and grandchildren at this time of year.
But they will be reunited next week when they take a short break together, it is understood.
Charles left for Wales shortly after seeing his younger son, Prince Harry, for the first time in more than a year.
They spoke briefly, along with Prince William, in the quadrangle at Windsor Castle after Saturday’s funeral service for Prince Philip.
Sources have strongly dismissed suggestions that the conversation was in any way a ‘summit’ between the men and say it would be ‘unthinkable’ for anything of significance to have been discussed straight after burying their father and grandfather.
But it would have been a chance to break the ice, particularly between William and Harry. The rift between the brothers runs deeper than many realise.
It is known that William is struggling to come to terms with what he feels his brother has done – first in the way he acrimoniously quit royal duties and then as a result of the deeply hurtful allegations he and Meghan made against the Royal Family in their Oprah interview. The couple accused both the institution and the family of racism and said Meghan was driven to feeling suicidal because of the lack of support she had been given.
Although Harry also criticised his father, saying he felt let down by him and accusing him of refusing to take his calls and cutting off his finances, Charles has deliberately not reacted, attempting to keep the peace and lines of communication, however faint, open for the wider family’s sake.
It was claimed yesterday that Harry wrote to his father ahead of his return to the UK, outlining his reasons for leaving and promising to ‘respect the institution’.
Clarence House declined to comment last night but Charles is known to be a keen letter writer and certainly finds it easier to deal with issues in that way.
However, it is understood that relations between Harry and all his family are still extremely tense and there is a long way to go before anything is repaired.
Charles will now spend the next few days on his 200-acre Carmarthenshire estate, within a short drive of the Brecon Beacons and the Black Mountains.
It has space to walk in complete solitude and will afford the prince time to come to terms with his loss.
Sources said the suggestion that he planned to have a ‘summit’ with his eldest son and heir, following the death of the Duke of Edinburgh, about how the Royal Family would be run in future was ‘completely and wholly wrong’.
‘Respect the institution’