Prince Charles will grieve alone in $1.6M Welsh cottage retreat after initial peace talks with Harry and William
It is only now, after the funeral of Prince Philip is over, that his loss is really being felt. Perhaps that is the reason why Prince Charles has reportedly left for his cottage in Wales - to grieve privately for the loss of his dear father. This comes after news of peace talks between his two sons, William and Harry, immediately after the funeral.
The loss of his father is so difficult to wade through that within 24 hours of him being laid to rest, a grief-stricken Charles had left for Llwynywermod in Llandovery on his own.
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According to several reports doing the rounds, Prince Charles went to his Welsh hideaway, which is a $1.67M (£1.2million) converted farmhouse in the Brecon Beacons for some peace.
This comes after peace talks were initiated between the two brothers. As per the latest reports, Charles departed after a face-to-face meeting of William and Harry on the grounds of Windsor Castle - taking 'baby steps' towards reconciliation following the tell-all bombshell Oprah Winfrey interview.
'Baby steps'
As it turns out, Charles and William reportedly preferred to meet with Harry together because they wanted to avoid any and all misunderstandings.
A senior royal insider reportedly said, "Obviously after the worldwide fallout of the Oprah interview, trust has to be rebuilt."
The insider added more about the conversations, "There was no official wake after the funeral, but Charles, William and Harry took the opportunity to speak and catch-up face to face after many months apart. They were only able to spend a short time together outdoors given Covid-19 restrictions and also without staff, including senior courtiers, overhearing what was being said. It was important to Charles and William that they were both there together. It means nothing spoken about can be misconstrued in the future."
According to The Sun, Kate also attended parts of the talks, some of which took place at Frogmore Cottage, Harry's home within the grounds of Windsor Castle. Considering the concerns that were sparked following the interview with Oprah, a full rapprochement did not occur.
Another senior royal insider revealed, "There is much pain and hurt on both sides, so this reconciliation will take place in baby steps."
"First, they need to decide on some ground rules as to how they conduct business going forward in a way that makes all parties feel safe and protected."
It has been reported that Charles and William have the Queen's backing to deal with the situation. The source explained, "The Queen has made it clear to senior advisers that she is united with Charles and William, and was disappointed with aspects of Harry and Meghan's interview."
Why did Prince Charles leave?
Reports are that Prince Charles left London alone - it is believed his wife Camilla stayed back to attend to the couple's private commitments.
The source revealed the need for Charles to leave, "Charles felt he wanted to reflect alone. He also wants to attend to the thousands of letters sent to him in condolence of his father's death. He is acutely aware that this is a hugely significant moment in his life and he feels like he has the weight of the world of his shoulders. All his life he has been heir to throne, but Prince Philip was the patriarch of the family. Overnight that's changed, and it's impacted him both professionally and personally. He needs time to think and contemplate the future of the Royal Family after what was a very difficult week."
The source added that there is no better place for Prince Charles to find solace than the cottage - he usually spends a week in Llwynywermod every July. "There is no better place for Charles to come to terms with his grief and start to think about his future. He has a daunting amount to consider, including the ongoing tensions between William and Harry which will not be easily resolved."