King Charles, who is currently undergoing cancer treatment, turns 76 today and will be spending his day performing Royal duties such as public appearances and dealing with state papers.
However, he will also take time out to celebrate his birthday by opening several food distribution hubs, marking the first anniversary of the Coronation Food Project.
The King's birthdays are typically low-key events, but for his 70th, he released a series of beautiful family photos. In these pictures, he is seen sitting proudly next to Queen Camilla, with sons Prince William and Prince Harry, the Princess of Wales, and the Duchess of Sussex also featured.
His three oldest grandchildren - Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis - are included in the photo, although Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet were not present as they were not yet born.
While fans adored the rare family shots, arranging them was reportedly an "absolute nightmare" due to the lack of effort from William and Harry, according to the explosive biography Finding Freedom by authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand.
They claim that the royal brothers have a fluctuating relationship with their father, reports the Mirror.
The authors penned: "The boys can be hot and cold with their father' revealed a source, who cited the planning of the photo session for Charles' 70th birthday as 'an absolute nightmare'. Neither William nor Harry made much of an effort to make themselves available, according to the source."
Two images from the photoshoot were unveiled, one being a more formal shot and the other a candid picture showcasing the family's laughter. However, since that day, it appears the two brothers have developed very different relationships with their father.
Despite their occasionally rocky relationship, Charles and William are now believed to share a bond "built on love, affection and respect". Both are passionate about addressing climate change and William publicly declared his loyalty to his father at the Coronation last year.
Conversely, Harry's relationship with his father seems to have worsened and he has been quite vocal about the damaged bond with Charles. In a shocking interview with Oprah Winfrey, Harry accused his dad of refusing to answer his calls and alleges he cut him off financially.
Earlier this year, it was reported that the pair had stopped communicating, with one long-standing issue contributing to their estrangement. Sources close to the Sussexes now claim that Harry's attempts to discuss his security arrangements with his father are being met with silence, as his calls to the King go unanswered.
The Duke has been engaged in a lengthy dispute over his security when visiting the UK, having lost his automatic right to police protection when he stepped down as a working Royal. Despite losing subsequent court battles to have it reinstated for himself, his wife Meghan, and their two children, Harry is planning to appeal.
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According to PEOPLE magazine, Harry believes his father could help resolve the issue, although a palace source has dismissed this as "wholly inaccurate". A friend of Harry's told the magazine: "He gets 'unavailable right now'. His calls go unanswered. He has tried to reach out about the King's health, but those calls go unanswered too."
Another friend added: "Harry is frightened and feels the only person who can do anything about it is his father," while another source stated: "Harry is determined to protect his own family at all costs."
They also mentioned that the couple "didn't feel they had a choice" but to leave the Royal Family, citing the need to preserve their sanity and escape the intense scrutiny.
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