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King Charles got devastating news from his estranged son, Prince Harry, as he prepared to take a radical action that would have severed all relations with the royal family.
The Duke of Sussex had contacted his uncle Charles Spencer as he "actively explored ways" to drop the name 'Mountbatten-Windsor' in favor of 'Spencer', according to Richard Eden of the DailyMail. However, Diana's younger brother strongly urged against it.
While Buckingham Palace has remained silent about the recent finding, royal analyst Richard Fitzwilliams has stated that the King was "deeply hurt" by it.
The expert emphasized that "someone's family name is a pivotal and public link to the other family members," citing Shakespeare's classic exchange in Romeo and Juliet, "What's in a name?"
"Prince Harry was reportedly discussing the possibility of changing his name to Spencer with his uncle, the Earl, who advised against it," Fitzwilliams told the newspaper.
"This news will be deeply hurtful to King Charles, especially as it would have been a very public renunciation of the Royal Family only a relatively short time after he (Charles) had become king."
He noted that while Harry's uncle said that "legal hurdles were insurmountable," the action would also have been a "clear gesture of enmity."
"The King will be appalled that his youngest son has considered such a drastic step and this will only widen the royal rift," he told reporters.
The monarch is known to revere the Mountbatten-Windsor name, exactly like his late father, Prince Philip. And, while Harry keeps his HRH titles but is not permitted to use them after stepping down from their senior royal role, the newest decision would have caused irreversible damage.
Charles apparently still has a soft spot for his son, but he is annoyed by his incessant pranks and finds it difficult to trust him. It remains to be seen if the father-son relationship would ever recover from this setback in their increasing royal separation.
