King Charles is currently facing the biggest crisis of his reign, here's what it is

King Charles III was crowned as the King of the United Kingdom and 14 other Commonwealth realms in May 2023. A few months into his reign, he was diagnosed with cancer in February 2024. Despite undergoing weekly treatments for his diagnosis, the king has done everything and played every role required of him. He has travelled on tour to France, Australia, Poland and Italy, curated a playlist for Apple Music, played host at state banquets, posed for portraits and even attended functions that require his royal presence, such as easter celebrations and the VE Day anniversary.

The 76-year-old monarch has been taking every step forward to ensure his reign is marked with a time when he has done his best. But currently, King Charles is facing the biggest crisis of his reign- a falling brood, which could leave a permanent mark on his time on the throne.

His estranged younger son Prince Harry recently had an interview with the BBC where he made an emotional plea to reconcile with his family and even pondered about how long his father had to live. His actions throughout the time he and Meghan left the royal family in 2020 have caused a rift that was highlighted again after the interview. Charles, over the years, has been trying his best to make things better, but according to historian Ed Owens, who writes about the British monarchy, this unbridged gap in the royal family could be the defining marker of Charles' reign.

“There is an overhang in the way we see Charles’ reign. It hasn’t really gotten going, nor are we sure how long it will last,” said the historian. “When history comes to be written about the king, this will reflect badly on him,” said Peter Hunt, a former royal correspondent for the BBC. “He represents an institution that is about family, unity and fostering forgiveness. His role is to bring people together, and yet he can’t bring people together on his doorstep.”


Harry's interview came after a begrudging legal defeat over his security arrangements in Britain, where he added that his father could have done more to still allow him the automatic, publicly-funded police protection when he visits Britain. However, according to a spokesman for the palace, the courts have examined these issues "repeatedly and meticulously" to reach the same conclusion on each occasion.

This loud rift not only exists between King Charles and Prince Henry but also between the brothers, which leads to an even larger divide in the family. The sightings of royals at various events have been sparse, with King Charles and Prince William alternating between events, and Charles' younger brother Prince Andrew still being on internal exile after his connections with Jeffrey Epstein and Virginia Giuffre came back into headlines after the latter died by suicide recently.

This has also pushed William into a more active public role, which he has been playing very well. William has sometimes been seen as work-shy, but we see him gravitating toward bigger, more media-friendly events,” said Owens, the historian. “He’s burnishing his reputation as a statesman.”

While Charles has been actively making progress with his calendar, including big events such as opening the parliament of Canada on May 27, his reign seems to be lacking the zeal and reform that many expected. With his diagnosis, there is only so much he can do, but the fact seems to motivate him to do more, especially for his family. Whether we will get to see a happily-ever-after for the royal family is yet to be seen.