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Ever since the so-called “Megxit” of January 2020, it’s been a common assumption that King Charles III might never forgive Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, after their falling out. Suddenly, though, there seems to be a glimmer of hope that the father-son duo might reconcile. Unfortunately, the king’s change of heart may have been prompted by the awful behavior of another royal family member and the subsequent ramifications.
Charles hasn’t been shielding his brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, from criticism as the former prince comes under fire for alleged sexual abuse and misconduct in public office. Instead, the king stripped Andrew of his titles and forced him to leave his home, the Royal Lodge. Now that the Windsor property is vacant, Charles apparently has a surprising idea for who might move in.
According to Rob Shuter on his “Naughty But Nice” Substack, Charles may actually be considering asking Harry, Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, and their children to move into the 30-room home. A source told Shuter, “Charles wants unity. Offering Harry a significant Windsor property would send a powerful message that the door is still open.” They also added, “This would be the ultimate olive branch.”
The royal lodge could reunite the royal family
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been living across the pond in California for years. However, whenever they do return to the United Kingdom, the pair reportedly opts for private lodgings, since they are notoriously serious about security. So, even if the Sussexes don’t plan on a permanent return to Harry’s home country, having their own property there might be advantageous for the couple. It just might work for King Charles, too. “It’s about keeping family close — geographically and emotionally,” one insider told Rob Shuter.
Of course, this isn’t a simple solution to the royal family feud. It has long seemed like Harry may be ready to mend fences with his family. Yet, many believe that his brother, William, Prince of Wales. will never forgive Harry after he abandoned his royal duties and dragged family members’ names through the mud. So, even if both Harry and Charles are ready to forgive and forget, William may be another story.
Furthermore, as another insider told Shuter, “The optics are tricky.” They pointed out, “Moving Harry and Meghan into Andrew’s old house ties them to a property that’s become synonymous with scandal. That’s a lot of baggage.” Now that the royal family has severed its ties with Andrew Windsor, bringing Harry back into the fold would make the royals appear more united. Still, it will likely take a lot more than simply handing Andrew’s old keys over to Harry to smooth out all those royal wrinkles.