Prince Charles shares poignant Father’s Day photo of himself with Prince William and Prince Harry

Prince Charles has shared poignant photos to mark Father’s Day, including one of himself in happier times with sons William and Harry – after it was revealed this week that the brothers’ relationship remains at ‘rock bottom’.

The future king, 73, shared three photos to the Clarence House Instagram page, captioning them ‘Wishing everyone a very happy Father’s Day!’ – with a photo of his sons appearing as the final image in the gallery.  

The picture shows a laughing Prince Charles, wearing a kilt, hugging his sons during a trip to Birkhall, the home of The Prince of Wales on the Balmoral estate, in the Eighties. 

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A photo of Prince William and Prince Harry pictured in happier times, during a childhood visit to Birkhall on the Balmoral Estate, was posted by Prince Charles to mark father’s day 

The first photo to appear in the Instagram gallery was a black-and-white picture of the Prince of Wales with his late father, with both pictured in military uniform

The Duchess of Cornwall was also seen in a photo with her own father, the late Major Bruce Shand

Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall also published photos of the future king with the Duke of Edinburgh, both in military uniform, and of Camilla with her father Major Bruce Shand. 

The throwback photo of Prince Charles in happier times offer a reminder of the fragility of the current sibling relationship, with friends of Prince William this week revealing that the royal is in ‘mourning’ at the collapse of his relationship with his brother, saying there is little chance of them repairing it in the near future.

Relations between the once-close pair are still at ‘rock bottom’, sources say.

Friends of William said that the Prince ‘truly loves Harry and feels he has lost the only person, aside from his wife, who understood this strange life of theirs.’

They added that William also believes his brother has ‘disrespected the Queen and their family.’

Prince William, who turn 40 this week, shared his own image to mark Father’s Day – a photo of himself laughing with his three children and the Duchess of Cornwall.

Taken during a family holiday to Jordan, it shows William sitting between Prince George, eight, and Princess Charlotte, now seven, with his youngest, Prince Louis, now four, perched on his shoulders. He beams contentedly as his children roar with laughter.

William (centre) is pictured beaming with George (right), Charlotte (left) and Prince Louis (on his shoulders) in Jordan

Kate poses for a Christmas card snap with the children on what appears to be the same day during their holiday in Jordan

Prince William and Prince Harry pictured in in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, London for the unveiling of a statue of their mother Princess Diana on July 1, 2021 – their relationship remains strained, friends of Prince William revealed this week

William will celebrate his milestone birthday on Tuesday as he and wife Kate prepare to announce a move to Windsor – as first reported by The Mail on Sunday last August.

This image differs from recent official photographs in that it was not taken by the Duchess of Cambridge, a keen amateur photographer. Instead, Kensington Palace said that the delightful portrait was captured by a private, unnamed photographer during a getaway last autumn.