The Real Reason Prince Harry and King Charles Are No Longer Speaking: ‘Harry’s Calls Go Unanswered

Prince Harry’s desperation to protect his wife and kids has deepened his estrangement from his father, King Charles.

When the Duke of Sussex, 39, returned to the U.K. in May to celebrate the 10th anniversary of one of his proudest achievements, the Invictus Games, his father was notably absent from the ceremony

The two were unable to meet during Harry’s visit, which the prince’s spokesperson attributed to the King’s “full schedule.” However, sources close to Harry suggest a deeper issue. Harry wanted to discuss his ongoing battle for security, which he has been fighting for in court for more than four years and believes Charles, 75, has the power to reinstate. (Buckingham Palace will not comment on security provisions, but a palace source tells PEOPLE the notion that Harry’s security is in Charles’s hands is “wholly incorrect.”)

The family rift that first became public in 2020 when Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, stepped back from their royal roles has been marked by blistering attacks and unresolved tensions. But for Harry, no single issue is a greater sticking point than that of security, multiple well-placed insiders in his circle tell PEOPLE in this week’s exclusive cover story.

Despite a positive meeting between the father and son in February following the King’s cancer diagnosis, their communication has since deteriorated. Those close to Prince Harry say the monarch no longer takes his son’s calls or responds to his letters.