Prince Harry is expected to return to the UK later this month for a charity event, and it could be his ‘final chance’ to heal his rift with his family, according to a royal expert
Prince Harry is expected to return to the UK later this month for a charity event, and it could be his ‘final chance’ to heal his rift with his family, according to a royal expert(Image: PA)
Three years have passed since the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stood alongside the Prince and Princess of Wales, yet relations between the estranged couples have deteriorated further than ever before, according to a Royal expert.
The formerly tight-knit quartet were last captured together during a walkabout at Windsor Castle, appearing notably solemn whilst viewing the numerous floral tributes left for Queen Elizabeth following her passing on 8 September 2022.
The joint public appearance was interpreted at the time as an “olive branch” extended by William towards Harry, who had departed the UK and relinquished his working Royal duties two years prior.
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However, following a succession of betrayals and damaging revelations that have emerged over the past three years, the rift between them has reached unprecedented depths, according to former Royal correspondent Duncan Larcombe.
“There’s no doubt the feud between them is worse than ever, so much has happened and there has been so much betrayal and fury,” he tells the Mirror, reports the Mirror.
“The longer they don’t speak, the deeper the feud will get.”
Whilst time typically serves as a remedy, Duncan suggests this principle doesn’t hold true for Harry, Meghan, William and Kate.
Nevertheless, there remains one ray of optimism in the form of Harry’s forthcoming visit to the UK. As Patron of the WellChild charity, which aids young people with serious health conditions across the nation, he is anticipated to fly into the capital – sans Meghan – to attend the charity’s 20th annual Awards ceremony at the end of September.
In a video shared on WellChild’s website, Harry encourages people to “join us” in honouring some unsung heroes, adding, “It is a true privilege to honour the bravery and compassion of this incredible community.”
Speculation about a potential UK rendezvous with Charles, 76, began to intensify following a confidential meeting between close aides from both sides earlier this summer. According to Duncan, a meeting with the King might be Harry’s only chance to pave the way for him and Meghan to be welcomed back into the family.
“From what I’ve heard, Harry is quite keen to see his father. Whether that will happen or not remains to be seen. But him coming over to England is at least a chance for them to meet, and start the process of trying to build bridges.
“It would have to be done in absolute private, behind closed doors, because there’s simply been too much played out in public, and that has to end if anything is to be repaired.”
Whilst Harry’s bond with his elder brother remains severely damaged, Duncan believes William is unlikely to obstruct a potential father-son reconciliation. He continues, “The royal family needs to be united. They need to be seen as kind of figureheads of British society, and a division is not good whatsoever. King Charles will make his own decisions, and William would not be able to tell the King what to do.”
Considering how Harry found himself in such a challenging situation with his relatives, Duncan explained: “Their Oprah Winfrey interview was the first big blow, so to speak, because it showed that Harry and Meghan were prepared to speak about the royals, particularly Charles and William, in a way one would never expect from another family member.
“Then Harry’s book, Spare, was incredibly damaging and made William furious because of the betrayal of family secrets. “So now Harry and Meghan have carved out their own existence in California, but they’re doing it for cash and to the highest bidder. Meanwhile, all that time in those same three years, William and Kate have been busy with duty, and haven’t cashed in on their status.
“”.
The now notorious Windsor walkabout witnessed William, 43, and Harry, 40, stroll together with their spouses flanking them, all wearing black or navy attire, before separating and engaging individually with the gathered crowds. The brothers were reunited once more for the funeral, walking behind their late grandmother’s coffin alongside their father.
However, Meghan, 44, and Kate made their way to the church in separate vehicles, with no apparent interaction before, during or after the service.
Despite the Sussexes’ revelations about the Windsors in Harry’s biography and their Netflix series, there has been a complete lack of response from the Windsor camp. Duncan, who has over two decades of experience reporting on palace affairs, believes William’s silence is telling.
He stated: “He hasn’t said a single word about his brother publicly in the time since their grandmother’s death, which is a sign that frankly, the situation at the moment is just dire.
“Harry said in an interview at the start of this year that the ball was now effectively in William’s court, in terms of triggering any changes in their relationship. But I’m not sure that’s how William sees it, I think the apologies need to come from Harry not William’s side.
“And even if Harry manages to get things back on track, there’s Meghan to think of too. Meghan’s priorities are in America with her children and her business, they don’t include the UK or Harry’s family over here. She has made that very clear.”
This week, attention is once again on Meghan with the launch of the second series of her Netflix show, With Love, Meghan, which premiered on 26 August. Items from her lifestyle brand, As Ever, were anticipated to be prominently featured as the streaming platform is already promoting her range alongside a set of ‘How To’ guides from the first series.
In the meantime, Duncan notes that the anniversary of the Queen’s passing will be a “poignant time for the whole family”, and it’s expected that each Royal will commemorate it privately, “in their own way”.