Prince Harry's Friend Shades 'Dysfunctional' Royal Family But Claims They 'Serve An Important Role'

In an interview, Prince Harry's friend, James Haskell, recently described the royal family as "very dysfunctional" while defending their role in society.

Haskell is usually very candid with his thoughts on the Firm, as he once defended Harry's memoir "Spare" while branding royal fans as "nuts."

Meanwhile, Prince Harry's relationships with King Charles and Prince William remain strained, with limited communication.

In an interview with The Times, Harry's close friend James Haskell called the royal family "a modern family that's very dysfunctional."

The former rugby star, who has spent significant time with members of the royal family, shared that some of them "aren't as great as others" while acknowledging that the family "do amazing work."

He also emphasized the monarchy's crucial role in society, noting: "To those who want to get rid of the monarchy - once they're gone, they're gone. There's no way back from that, so remember that they serve an important role."

"I love what they do," the 39-year-old added.

Haskell shares a unique bond with the royal family as co-host of the podcast "The Good, the Bad & the Rugby," alongside Alex Payne and Mike Tindall.

Tindall is married to Zara Phillips, Princess Anne's daughter, and is closely connected to both William and Kate Middleton, as well as Harry and Meghan Markle.

Haskell has always been very open with his feelings regarding the royal family and people connected to them.

Earlier this month, he appeared on "Good Morning Britain" alongside Tindall, where he praised Prince William and Kate Middleton for their "wicked sense of humor."

Reflecting on their September 2023 appearance on "The Good, the Bad & the Rugby" podcast, Haskell remarked, "That podcast was brilliant because we see them at their best, obviously they have a wicked sense of humor, in this country, in particular, we put people on a pedestal, but they are a regular family, an incredible family they do a lot for this country but a regular family."

In a recent book co-written with Tindall, "The Good, the Bad & the Rugby - Unleashed," Haskell called out Omid Scobie, author of Harry and Meghan's biography "Finding Freedom," branding him a "very odd bloke."

According to the Daily Mail, He also commented on royal fans, describing them as "mental," specifically slamming American royal supporters, whom he referred to as "f-cking nuts, especially Scobieites."

Haskell has also shown support for Harry in the past, especially after the release of the Duke of Sussex's highly controversial and successful memoir, "Spare."

"When someone feels like they and their partner have been oppressed, lied about, contradicted, and put into a corner, I think it's very important [to speak out]," he explained.

He has also shared that he and Harry often discuss fatherhood.

Recounting their first meeting, Haskell said he crossed paths with Harry at Tindall's wedding.

"Who should be there, wandering around having a good time, but Prince Harry? He hadn't met her [Meghan] yet, so he was still quite fun," he joked.

Haskell was a guest at both Tindall's 2011 wedding and Harry's 2018 nuptials to Meghan Markle.

In recent years, tensions within the royal family have been laid bare, particularly after Harry revealed personal grievances with his father and brother in his tell-all memoir.

Reports over the summer suggested Harry's relationship with his brother Prince William remained strained, described as "very bad" but not beyond repair.

Meanwhile, Harry's connection with his father, King Charles, has reportedly worsened, with the monarch allegedly cutting off communication despite Harry's visit to the UK following news of his father's cancer diagnosis.

Last month, Harry returned to the UK but did not reunite with either his father, Charles, or his brother, William.

Harry is scheduled to appear as a guest speaker at the New York Times DealBook Conference in New York on December 4.

However, the timing of the Duke's event has raised eyebrows as it would clash with a major event headed by King Charles.

According to the Daily Express, the monarch will reportedly be hosting The Amir of Qatar, His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, during a two-day state visit to the UK, which will also conclude on December 4.