As a new development in the King Charles III and Prince Harry relationship saga, a royal biographer has weighed in on the reason why the King has not met with his son this week. Tom Bower has claimed that the monarch’s decision has less to do with his busy schedule and is more so a result of denying the Sussexes an opportunity to garner positive PR.

According to Tom, “The King and his advisors have seen this for what it really is. It’s all about boosting the brand which is suffering terribly.” He then went on to say, “Harry was desperate for a photo opportunity for the King […] The King has denied him of that, and rightly so.”

The biographer explained that Prince Harry’s alleged desperation to take a photo with his father is because he and Meghan Markle are set to head to Nigeria after his stay in the U.K. Aside from the fact that Meghan’s mom’s family is reportedly Nigerian, the couple are traveling there to play their “royal card,” as Tom puts it.

“She is going to play the Duchess there and play the Royal Family,” stated Tom. Speaking about Prince Harry’s motives for the photo op with King Charles III, Tom explained that the Prince wanted a photo “so he could get to Nigeria and say ‘I come here as a member of the Royal Family.’”

He then went on about his belief that Prince Harry and his wife are “exploiting the misery in London” and “putting William and Kate in a terrible light.” “Rightly Buckingham Palace decided ‘we’re not going to play their game’ on this occasion,” Tom finished.

Public reactions to Tom’s statements have largely been in agreeance with the royal biographer. “Completely agree. Nothing [Meghan] and Lapdog do is without a (not so hidden) agenda,” commented a social media user.

Another added, “Brilliant Tom – saying the things that most if not [the] majority are thinking. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼.” “LOL. These rejected suitors are hilarious. But it is also embarrassing…. From the pics I see H got his photo ops,” said someone else.

Although many sided with Tom, some people felt differently. “King Charles showed the world why he’s not fit to lead or to be the head of the church. Pettiness and unforgivableness are ugly traits,” wrote an X user.

Referencing the assertion that King Charles III has been “toughening up” when it comes to dealing with his youngest son, another person expressed, “‘Toughen up.’ Not making any time for his son, only goes to show how petty he is!” A Prince Harry supporter gushed, “I’ve been away all day but it’s just lovely to see Harrymania in the UK. Prince Harry is a rockstar ⭐🤩 We love you Harry! ❤️”

The defense of King Charles III’s youngest son is in response to Tom’s critique as well as other accusations made by another royal expert named Richard Fitzwilliams. Like Tom, Richard claims Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have been making life difficult for the King and other royal family members. However, despite the statements of judgment, the Duke of Sussex remains loved by many people.

Prince Harry has also been supported by his late mother’s family. Princess Diana’s siblings, Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer, and Lady Jane Fellowes joined their nephew for the Service of Thanksgiving during the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games. His cousins, George McCorquodale, Ned Spencer, and Louis Spencer, Viscount Althorp, also joined the occasion.

Overall, besides getting the cold shoulder from some of his royal family members, for the most part, Prince Harry’s return to the U.K. has been met with excitement. His first day there was spent attending a service at St Paul’s Cathedral in London and meeting with supporters.

Prince Harry kicked off the 10th Invictus Games Foundation service delivering a heartfelt speech at the cathedral. Addressing a congregation of about a thousand, he honored the Invictus Games, which he founded in 2014 to support wounded servicemen and women.

As Prince Harry exited the cathedral in a black suit with a red-and-black tie and wearing honorary medals, excited fans lined up behind barricades to catch a glimpse of him. One especially eager fan stood out, trying to capture the prince with two phones held close to his face.

Prince Harry playfully asked why the fan had two cameras, and said it didn’t make sense to have both. He gently guided her arms behind the barrier before continuing down the line. This lighthearted interaction charmed many of his supporters, who later praised his demeanor on social media.

A fan commented, “Prince Harry greeting the crowds! […] And the square was absolutely packed!” Another admirer echoed the sentiment of excitement, swooning “We love you, Harry!” One user stated, “What a guy.”

Someone else reminisced about Princess Diana: “Look, he’s their Prince, one time the son of the Legend Diana!” Additionally, a user commented, “Thankfully like his mom, William is unfortunately like his father.”

Meanwhile, another pointed out the strong public reception for Prince Harry, saying, “Just look at the massive crowds that greeted Prince Harry the non working Royal and the most love[d] and popular Prince of hearts! Just goes to show that the BRF (British Royal Family) need[s] him more than he need[s] them!

Others pointed out that the crowd’s affection extended to Meghan, with one person saying, “I love this for Harry! They sent love to Meghan too, how lovely.” However, despite the positive reception, some critics questioned Prince Harry and Meghan’s previous claims about facing hostility in the country.

“The #IAM10 #InvictusGames anniversary today shows one thing: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle exaggerated and LIED about the British public wanting to attack them,” the skeptic remarked.

Meanwhile, another user expressed sympathy for Prince Harry, pointing out what was missing from the event: “So sad that his father or brother could not make time to see him he must feel very left out.”