The King has never given up hope of reconciling with the Duke of Sussex, The Telegraph understands.
Despite all of the recent revelations and allegations fired from California, Charles believes he will one day be reunited with his son and they will move forward, sources insist.
The two sides appear to have reached a stalemate, each keen to build bridges but convinced that the ball is in the other’s court.
There is thought to have been no contact between them since the Duke’s memoir went on sale in Spain on Thursday, and other copies were leaked in New York.
However, those close to the King are aware that the “only way out of this mess” is reconciliation, however difficult. It is considered the only way of avoiding “open warfare” for years to come.
“The challenge here is not to build a mountain of resentment that cannot be bypassed,” one source said.
“In many ways, the Royal family is no different to any other family and it will be their normality, rather than their uniqueness, which offers their greatest chance of reconciliation.
“Although Harry resents the role he was dealt within the institution, it is the fact that they are father and son that will bring them back together.”
The Duke told ITV that his family had ”shown absolutely no willingness to reconcile”.
However, the source said that it was the King’s view that they would reconcile. “What father does not forgive their son?” he added.
Jonathan Dimbleby, the veteran broadcaster and friend of King Charles, also believes the King will be eager to heal the rift to try to move on.
Speaking on the BBC’s Today Programme, he said he believed the King would be “extremely pained, very frustrated and anxious” to reach a resolution with his son.
But Mr Dimbleby also said: “If he [Harry] wants reconciliation, I don’t understand how you do it by metaphorically sitting in your Apache firing potshots at people who aren’t going to answer back, as he must very well know.”
Friends of the Prince of Wales have said that he is “anxious” and “sad” about what the Duke has said in the book but is focusing on his family, according to The Sunday Times.
One said: “He’s handling it so well on the outside – inside he’s burning.”