AS King Charles marks his 75th birthday today, there will be one person notably absent from the celebrations.
Prince Harry recently revealed how he and his wife Meghan were not invited to be part of his father’s big day, saying “no contact” had been made.
But according to royal expert Jennie Bond, while the King doesn’t want to “live his final years in misery” and be estranged from his son, he has been so badly hurt that he will find it hard to be the first one to hold out an olive branch.
Jennie exclusively told Fabulous: “Charles is finally taking on the role he was born for 75 years ago, and yet his reign is scarred by the rift with his younger son.
“In Spare Harry quoted his distraught father pleading with his sons 'not to make my final years a misery'.
"But it was an appeal that has fallen on deaf ears as far as Harry is concerned.
Charles is finally taking on the role he was born for 75 years ago, and yet his reign is scarred by the rift with his younger son
“Much like William, the King has been badly hurt by the things that have been said by Harry and Meghan – and he was outraged by Harry’s attack on Camilla.
"That is going to require a great deal of explanation and apology – and there is no sign of that happening any time soon.”
On Monday, the King kick started his milestone birthday celebrations with a tea party at Highgrove House in Gloucestershire.
The event, hosted by The Prince’s Foundation, was attended by a string of famous faces including The Repair Shop’s Jay Blades and chef Raymond Blanc, as well as community leaders who are also celebrating their 75th birthday.
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The event saw guests sing Happy Birthday to the King, and he was presented with a three tier Victoria Sponge.
But while the King appeared all smiles at the event and in the swing of his celebrations, Jennie says he is very much aware that “time is running out” in healing his rift with Harry.
She said: “Families are complicated and this is an incredibly sad situation.
"Charles has always loved his boys, and he must be terribly upset to be estranged not only from Harry but from his two little grandchildren.
"He also knows that time is flying by, running out if you like, and he is now an old man.
“I think it is a shame — and my own view is that it is always up to the parent to be the bigger person and extend an olive branch to a petulant offspring.
"But I don’t think a birthday party would be the right place to try to mend bridges. It would be excruciatingly awkward and would completely overshadow the King’s landmark birthday.
Charles has always loved his boys, and he must be terribly upset to be estranged not only from Harry but from his two little grandchildren
"There needs to be lots of talking between the pair before [they meet] and those discussions need to be strictly private, and as, to be fair to Harry he has said this himself.
“Time can be a healer, but it can also cement entrenched positions. No one seems prepared to make the first move in this row and start the process to move on.”
Meanwhile, sources close to the duke have told the BBC that Harry may reach out to his father today and will 'call him from the US'.
Earlier this year, we revealed how Harry snubbed an offer to spend the anniversary of the Queen’s death at Balmoral in Scotland with his father and Queen Camilla.
And, the dad-of-two made only a fleeting visit to the King’s coronation in May, before rushing to fly back to Meghan.
Meanwhile, Royal fans were horrified as they’re convinced King Charles took a swipe at the estranged pair during his Kenya speech.
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