Speculation about a rift between Prince Harry and his father, King Charles, has been circulating for months. But according to a recent US magazine cover story, communication between Harry and Charles has deteriorated to the point where they are no longer speaking, which is partly driven by Harry’s fears over his family’s safety.

Sources close to Harry told People that he gets ‘unavailable right now’ when he tries to call Charles, and his calls ‘go unanswered,’ continuing ‘he has tried to reach out about the King’s health, but those calls go unanswered too.’ Charles was diagnosed with prostate cancer earlier this year, and some reports at the time hinted that their relationship was improving. Harry and Charles were reunited for a brief meeting in February, reigniting hope of potential reconciliation between the pair.

But Charles was notably absent when Harry recently returned to London to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games in May. A spokesperson at the time said the pair wouldn’t be meeting due to a diary clash, as the King was hosting a garden party that day.

People reports that the pair’s breakdown in communication could be due to Harry’s concerns about the safety of his wife, Meghan, 42, and their two children, Archie, 5 and Lilibet, 3. ‘Harry is frightened and feels the only person who can do anything about it is his father,’ a royal insider told People. Another source close to the situation said, ‘Harry is determined to protect his own family at all costs.’

Harry’s fears about security have been building since 2020, when he and Meghan stepped back from their roles as senior royals and moved to California. As a result, the couple lost their taxpayer-funded police protection that other working royal family members have. Since, Harry became embroiled in an ongoing battle with the Home Office over his security in the UK, offering to pay for it himself – something that was denied. He is continuing to appeal against a UK High Court decision about his security, after losing several rounds of the case against the Home Office.

Who receives police protection is determined by an organisation called the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures. According to PEOPLE, Harry believes Charles has some influence and could help reinstate his security – perhaps as some of Charles’s staff is on the committee. Buckingham Palace won’t comment on security provisions, PEOPLE reports, but said it’s ‘wholly incorrect’ that the Sussexes security is in Charles’s hands.

Harry addressed his fears for his family in a recent ITV interview, Tabloids on Trial. In the documentary, he revealed how he’s worried that negative press could provoke a knife or acid attack on Meghan. ‘All it takes is for one lone actor who reads this stuff to act on what they’ve read,’ he said. ‘And whether it’s a knife or acid, these are things that are genuine concerns for me. It’s one of the reasons why I won’t bring my wife back to this country.’

As with any feud, there are two sides to the story. In their report, People spoke to sources close to the palace who suggest that Harry’s memoir and public interviews have jeopardised the family’s trust in him. But others close to Harry suggest that, if the security issue was resolved, Harry wouldn’t need to speak out.

Regardless of the rumoured rift between father and son, fans of the couple will be pleased that they are continuing to make public appearances as part of their work. Over the weekend, Meghan and Harry released a new CBS interview about cyber abuse, where they spoke about the need to protect children from online harm – reflecting on their own experiences of parenting Archie and Lilibet.

‘Our kids are young, they’re three and five, they’re amazing, but all you want to do as parents is protect them,’ said Meghan. ‘And so as we can see what’s happening in the online space, we know that there’s a lot of work to be done there and we’re just happy to be able to be a part of change for good.’

The couple will also do another visit to Colombia this year, after the success of their trip to Nigeria in May. It’s thought that the trip will showcase the heritage of Colombia and focus on ways to create safer spaces online. Although these trips aren’t technically ‘state visits’ because the couple are no longer working royals, they will look and feel like one – suggesting that Harry and Meghan are continuing to channel their ‘royal’ duties without having their titles. This follows reports earlier this year which suggested Harry would be willing to return to some royal duties if he was asked to, while the royal family faces low resources.

As for Meghan in all of this? She is reportedly steadfastly supporting Harry through his security concerns. Meghan herself has been the centre of threats, something acknowledged by Neil Basu, the outgoing Metropolitan Police assistant commissioner, in 2022. He said Meghan had received ‘disgusting and very real’ threats while a working royal, and added he would understand if Meghan had felt ‘under threat all the time.’ Fears over safety is reportedly what drove the couple to move to California and to accept lucrative deals with Netflix and other companies, as it allows them to fund their own private security.

Speaking about Meghan, a former Archewell staff told PEOPLE ‘[She] supports Harry 100 percent, but she wishes he could let go of these lawsuits, be happy, and live in the moment,’ continuing ‘She wants him to be free of all of this, but she also knows that because of everything he’s been through and his love for [her and their children], he can’t. She wants him to live in a world where he is not burdened by this.’