In a candid and deeply revealing interview with Anderson Cooper on 60 Minutes, Prince Harry opened up about his complicated and often contentious relationship with his stepmother, Camilla, Queen Consort.

The interview, which aired in early 2024, has sent shockwaves through the media, as Harry accused Camilla of being “dangerous” and spoke directly about her role in the breakdown of his parents’ marriage. His comments paint a portrait of a family dynamic marked by tension, betrayal, and scandal.

“She Was the Villain”: Harry’s Accusations Against Camilla

Prince Harry did not mince words when discussing Camilla’s impact on his family. Reflecting on his mother, Princess Diana, and the painful years that led up to her divorce from Prince Charles (now King Charles III), Harry accused Camilla of being a “third person” in his parents’ marriage.

He described her as the “villain” in the story, suggesting that she played a significant role in the deterioration of his parents’ relationship.

In his conversation with Anderson Cooper, Harry revealed his belief that Camilla’s actions, both publicly and privately, were damaging to the integrity of his family. “She was the villain,” Harry said, referencing the affair that Camilla had with Prince Charles during his marriage to Diana.

“She was the third person in the marriage. It wasn’t just about my father’s infidelity—this was a complex and toxic situation that affected the entire family.”

For years, Camilla has been a subject of public scrutiny, particularly in the wake of her relationship with Charles, which became one of the most controversial aspects of their marriage.

Many in the public have long blamed her for the heartbreak and public embarrassment that Diana endured.

However, with the passage of time, Camilla has worked hard to rehabilitate her image and gain acceptance from the British public—efforts that Harry believes were not entirely innocent.

Camilla’s Need to “Rehabilitate Her Image”

Harry went on to accuse Camilla of seeking to “rehabilitate her image,” a process he claims she pursued at the expense of his late mother, Princess Diana.

The prince alleged that Camilla, after her affair with Prince Charles became public knowledge, made strategic moves to ingratiate herself with the royal family and the media.

In Harry’s eyes, her desire to improve her public image was driven not by genuine remorse or compassion, but by a desire for power and status.

“Camilla needed to rehabilitate her image. She was using her relationship with my father to position herself as the future queen, and she would stop at nothing to ensure that happened,” Harry said, adding that this included controlling the narrative in the press and gaining the favor of key players within the royal family.

“She knew exactly what she was doing and how to manipulate the situation. It was all about self-preservation.”

Harry’s accusations are not new, but his candidness during this interview shines a light on the emotional toll that the entire situation has taken on him and his family.

The prince, who has spent much of his adult life speaking out against the media’s treatment of his mother, now finds himself embroiled in a public battle over the truth about his stepmother’s role in the royal family.

A “Dangerous” Presence

Perhaps the most explosive part of Harry’s interview was his assertion that Camilla was not only a “villain” but also a “dangerous” presence in his life and his family’s story.

Harry’s use of the word “dangerous” carries significant weight, as it suggests a level of manipulation and control that extends beyond mere interpersonal conflict.

The prince elaborated by describing how he felt Camilla’s influence over his father had been harmful to the family dynamic.

“She was dangerous because of the way she was able to manipulate and control situations,” Harry explained. “She wasn’t just a third person in the marriage; she was also creating an atmosphere of division within the family. She sowed seeds of doubt and mistrust.”

For many years, Camilla’s relationship with Prince Charles was seen as the primary cause of his separation from Diana.

However, Harry’s recent statements seem to suggest that the impact of their affair extended far beyond the personal and into the realm of royal politics and family dynamics.

The prince seems to believe that Camilla’s manipulative behavior did not only affect the marriage but had long-lasting repercussions on his relationship with both his father and his brother, Prince William.

Harry’s Strained Relationship with Camilla

The relationship between Harry and Camilla has been marked by tension for years. Though the couple’s relationship improved in the years after Charles and Camilla’s marriage, Harry has always been outspoken about his unease with her role in his family’s life.

Despite the public image of unity and respect between Camilla and her stepchildren, Harry’s statements indicate that he has never fully reconciled with her. He admitted in the 60 Minutes interview that their bond was strained and that he often felt Camilla was more interested in securing her place in the royal family than building a genuine relationship with him or his brother.

While Harry acknowledged that Camilla had done some things to try to “reach out” to him and William, he didn’t hesitate to point out the larger picture of what he believed to be a calculated effort on her part to “win the royal family over.”

He also revealed that he felt “betrayed” by the way she had inserted herself into the family narrative, particularly during the years following Diana’s death, when Camilla and Charles’ relationship became more public.

The Bigger Picture: Royal Family Tensions

The explosive remarks made by Harry during his 60 Minutes interview add to the ongoing saga of royal family tensions, which have been heavily covered by the media in recent years.

While much of the public focus has been on Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, and their decision to step away from royal duties, Harry’s comments about Camilla offer a deeper insight into the fractured relationships within the royal family.

Harry’s decision to publicly accuse Camilla of being “dangerous” and manipulative also reflects the broader discontent within the younger generation of royals, particularly with how the monarchy has handled matters of family loyalty, public perception, and personal trauma.

His relationship with his father, King Charles, has been fraught for years, and these comments only add fuel to the fire of the ongoing rift between them.