Prince Harry once shared close bond with King Charles Camilla and William claims former royal butler

Prince Harry once enjoyed a warm and playful relationship with his father King Charles, stepmother Queen Camilla and brother Prince William, according to a former royal staff member who says the family dynamic was far from the tension later described in his memoir Spare.

Grant Harrold, who worked as a butler within the Royal Household, revealed that he regularly witnessed the four of them getting along brilliantly during private family moments. He admitted he was baffled by Harry’s account in his book, insisting it didn’t reflect what he had personally seen.

“The four of them, I promise you, got on so well. And that’s why I don’t understand what Harry’s said, I really don’t understand,” he told The Telegraph.

Harrold recalled countless times when the family would eat, drink and socialise together, showing no sign of strain. “I saw them having dinners together, I saw them having drinks together, I saw them going to parties together. The King used to do things to make them laugh and giggle.”

He described the atmosphere as light hearted and filled with fun, often revolving around practical jokes and playful banter. “The banter was great. They used to go around being silly with each other and winding each other up, jumping out at their dad from corners and making him laugh. It was just like a family.”

The comments add a fresh layer of contrast to the strained picture painted by Harry in Spare, where he detailed grievances with both his father and brother and spoke critically about Camilla. In the memoir, the Duke of Sussex described years of distance, rivalry and misunderstanding, fuelling speculation of deep divisions within the family.

But Harrold’s recollections suggest that before the breakdown in relations, there were years when the four of them shared genuine closeness and joy in each other’s company. His comments have sparked debate among royal watchers, with some questioning whether Harry’s book exaggerated tensions or whether the relationship simply soured later on.

For Harrold, the memories of laughter and camaraderie appear to outweigh the current discord. He insisted what he saw behind the scenes was a family behaving much like any other, complete with jokes, teasing and shared moments of fun.

As the Duke and Duchess of Sussex continue their life in California, Harry’s relationship with the rest of the Royal Family remains under intense scrutiny. Occasional appearances at official events, such as the King’s Coronation, have done little to silence speculation about ongoing rifts.

Yet Harrold’s insight paints a reminder that it was not always this way, and that at one time, the bonds between Harry, his father, his stepmother and his brother were not only intact but strong and affectionate.