From a brother whose reputation has been tarnished by a sexual abuse case to son Harry who accuses a member of the royal family of racism and, as a result, disregards royal mores.
Before he had even started his work, the new British King Charles III faced some serious headaches that could tear the unity of the royal family.
For example, the allegations and charges have lingered for years of sexual abuse by his brother Prince Andrew, Queen Elizabeth’s second son and allegedly her favourite child. He withdrew from royal functions in 2019 after a disastrous TV interview in which he hoped to clear his name about his relationship with the late American financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
In January 2022, he lost his military ties and patronage and relinquished his title of Royal Highness. A month later, he agreed to a settlement with Virginia Giuffre, an American woman who had been Epstein’s victim and accused Andrew of sexually abusing her as a teenager. Andrew denied any wrongdoing and was not charged with any criminal offences.
Charles will now have to decide how to deal with his younger brother, who is still officially the Duke of York, and what role he can play in public, if at all.
Son Harry’s decision to move abroad with his American wife Meghan led to them resigning from their royal role in 2020. That caused a huge uproar. Since then, Harry and Meghan have sharply criticized Buckingham Palace. Harry accused an unnamed member of the royal family and officials of racism. He also said that father Charles and brother William “were trapped in the institution”.
Harry, who bears the title Duke of Sussex, has spoken of the divisions in the family, with relations between him, his father, and his brother still said to be difficult. However, in his first address to the nation as king, Charles expressed his wish for a thaw in relations. “I also want to express my love for Harry and Meghan as they continue to build their lives abroad,” he said in his speech on Friday.