Prince Harry has been accused of using "emotional blackmail" against King Charles in a stinging two-word verdict from journalist Tom Sykes. Appearing on The Royals Uncensored this week, Sykes weighed in on Harry's tearful reaction to being denied taxpayer-funded security for his upcoming trip to Birmingham.
Sykes Condemns Harry's 'Pathology of Paranoia'
Speaking with Jo Elvin, Katie Nicholl, Grant Harrold and Victoria Murphy on Thursday's programme, Sykes noted that Harry's "pathology" had long been rooted in "paranoia." Reflecting on the decision to deny private security to Harry, his wife Meghan Markle, and their two children, Sykes commended King Charles for taking a calm and collected stance.
"I was told at the weekend that he [Harry] was in tears when he heard this news, that he was on the point of having a breakdown," Sykes explained. "I was told he was in tears, on the point of a breakdown... this is the high watermark of emotional blackmail!"
'Absolutely Bonkers' Reaction
Sykes described Harry's reaction as "absolutely bonkers," adding that all Harry had been told was that "the status quo was continuing." He praised King Charles for not intervening: "The King, to his tremendous credit, has stuck to his guns and said, 'I'm not going to intervene in the face of what the palace has openly briefed newspapers, is [what] they regard as emotional blackmail to do with access for the children and Charles meeting the children.'"
Sykes called the weekend's events "the high watermark of emotional blackmail from Harry on this issue," referencing the ongoing security dispute since the couple's departure from royal duties.
Context of Frogmore Cottage Eviction
Sykes drew parallels to the couple's eviction from Frogmore Cottage, noting: "When they were first kicked out of Frogmore Cottage, you may remember, we were all told, 'Oh, you know, the king must never want to see his grandchildren again, blah blah blah blah blah.' That wasn't the reality."
He argued that King Charles did not evict them due to a lack of desire to see his grandchildren, but because "they had gone on Oprah and called them racist, and they were about to release a series. You know, they had just published Spare. Goodness knows what else they were going to do. It would have been totally negligent for the king to allow a spy basically in the heart of the royal establishment."
