King Charles and his daughter-in-law Kate, the Princess of Wales, have stepped back from royal duties in the wake of their cancer diagnoses. Now, his former butler Grant Harrold has spoken out about the monarch’s alleged irritation
The unavoidable absence of two key senior royals has sparked ‘a bit of a nightmare’ behind palace doors, according to a former royal butler.
King Charles and the Princess of Wales have both been forced to step back from official duties in the wake of their cancer diagnoses, with both receiving treatment. While the Royal Family has put on a united front – with composed Kate releasing a moving video message on Friday explaining her ill-health, and with Charles set to release a personal Easter message – behind closed doors, it’s reportedly a different picture.
Grant Harrold, who worked for the King for seven years when he was the Prince of Wales, has said that without the two key players there, the situation has become a ‘nightmare’. “Behind closed doors, it’s all a bit of a muddle,” he told New York Post.
“Obviously, the king is trying to get better, that’s going to be the big focus. I think Charles will find it very frustrating that he’s not able to work as much, I can believe that – I know what he’s like, he’s a workaholic. I’m sure that will be frustrating.”
He added that the monarchy is down to ’50 percent capacity’. “Even though you have all the other royals standing in, it’s not the same,” he continued. “I can imagine it’s a bit of a nightmare behind closed doors for the actual Firm as such.”
It comes just days after Charles’ nephew Peter Phillips – the son of Princess Anne and her first husband, Captain Mark Phillips – also spoke of the King’s ‘frustration’ and his eagerness to return to the job full-time. The 46-year-old shared an update on the monarch’s recovery during an interview on Sky News Australia‘s The Royal Report, insisting that the King, 75, is in “good spirits” despite being unhappy with the amount he’s able to do at the moment.
Peter told host Caroline Di Russo: “I think, ultimately, he’s hugely frustrated. He’s frustrated that he can’t get on and do everything that he wants to be able to do.” Peter, Zara Tindall’s brother, who is currently in Australia as patron of charity ISPS Handa, added: “But he is very pragmatic [and] he understands that there’s a period of time that he really needs to focus on himself. He is always pushing, his staff and everybody and his doctors and nurses to be able to say, ‘Actually, can I do this? Can I do that?’
“So the overriding message would be that he’s obviously very keen to get back to a form of normality. And he’s probably frustrated that recovery is taking a little longer than probably he would want it to.”
Following abdominal surgery in January, Kensington Palace confirmed that Kate, 42, would not return to work until Easter as she recovered at home in Windsor. However since then, she revealed the “hugely shocking” news that post-operative tests found cancer, and that she is now receiving preventative chemotherapy.
In her statement on Friday, the future queen spoke of an “incredibly tough couple of months” and bravely shared that she is “getting stronger every day”. Kate said she hopes to be back at work as soon as she is well enough, but explained that for now, she is focused on getting better. She said: “My work has always brought me a deep sense of joy and I look forward to being back when I am able, but for now I must focus on making a full recovery.”
Kensington Palace also said: “The Princess will return to official duties when she is cleared to do so by her medical team. She is in good spirits and is focused on making a full recovery.” Meanwhile, just weeks before, Buckingham Palace revealed Charles had been diagnosed with cancer following a procedure for an enlarged prostate.
The King has stepped back from large-scale public duties while receiving outpatient treatment and his wife, Queen Camilla, is deputising for him at the ancient Royal Maundy ceremony on Thursday. With regards to his return to public duties, a source told The Sunday Times that insiders are keen to “quash” any suggestions that the King would permanently withdraw from public view due to his cancer treatment.
Buckingham Palace has been approached for comment.
