Fathers, sons and the 'vital' importance of trust

Trust between fathers and sons may sometimes be faltering, despite the best intentions of all involved, but recent headlines have shone an unpleasant spotlight on one particular royal father and son.

After Prince Harry lost a legal battle over taxpayer-funded security, his first instinct seems to have been to call the BBC to arrange an interview and publicly air his unhappiness. And also to fuel speculation over the health of his father by saying he “doesn’t know how long” the King has left. Loyalty to his father appeared to have left the building. Long-term royal correspondent and commentator Jennie Bond told LBC that “trust has been completely blown out of the window” – presumably on all sides. How that must hurt everyone concerned.

Lack of trust can be deeply painful, personal – and increasingly political. Last July, as he took office, the Prime Minister told supporters that “the fight for trust is the battle that defines our age”. And yet following the recent UK local election landslide for Reform, it was reported that a 10 Downing Street aide offered the explanation that “we are operating in a very low trust environment, which is inevitable after all the broken promises and overblown rhetoric of recent years”. When people think – or feel – that what you preach and what you practice don’t match up, political disaster likely isn’t far away.