Prince Harry is grateful to Canada. During an early November trip to support the work of his Invictus Games Foundation, the British army vet spoke at the 17th annual True Patriot Love Foundation National Tribute Dinner in Toronto, making a point to thank the Commonwealth nation for two gifts they’ve given him over the last decade. “This city will always mean a great deal to me. You provided a wife for me,” he said, referring to how Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, was living there while shooting the TV show Suits as they secretly began dating in 2016, “and you hosted the Invictus Games in 2017,” he added, calling both “touchstones in my life,” per People.
James Whatling / MEGA
But as Invictus heads back to Britain — the next Games are set for Birmingham, England, in 2027 — and Harry, 41, continues working to reconnect with his cancer-stricken father, his renewed ties to his homeland are putting pressure on his seven-year marriage. “He’s mending fences with his family but is doing it without Meghan,” a source tells Star, pointing to Harry’s solo September meeting with father King Charles III in London. It was their first face-to-face encounter in more than 18 months, since the monarch was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer. Though Meghan, 44, supports Harry reconciling with his dad, 77, before it’s too late, the source confirms, “She’s panicked and nervous about the future. There’s worry the royals could poison Harry against her, ultimately destroying their little family over time.”
James Whatling / MEGA
Kate’s Quiet Role
Those fears aren’t unfounded. As Star previously reported, Prince William, 43, remains unwilling to bridge the divide with his only sibling. But his wife, Princess Kate, 43, has quietly been in communication with her brother-in-law, slowly rebuilding a fragile trust ever since he reached out following her own cancer diagnosis last year. “William hasn’t softened toward Harry, despite Kate’s best efforts, so she’s had no choice but to retain this relationship behind his back,” the source explains. Nearly six years after the Sussexes fled Britain for California amid claims The Firm was fueling a hate campaign against them in the U.K. press, the princess has emerged as a peacemaker. “Kate continues to see the good in Harry,” says the source. “She believes life’s too short for grudges.” Particularly with Charles so ill. “Kate knows once the awful reality of the king’s death comes to pass, it will hit William and Harry harder than anyone.”
MEGA
Now more than ever, Kate understands how fragile the monarchy and its image really are. Especially after the institution suffered a blow last month as Prince Andrew, 65, faced renewed scrutiny over his relationship with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein and abuse survivor Virginia Giuffre (who, until her April suicide, maintained that Andrew sexually assaulted her in 2001 when she was 17; he’s denied her claims). Amid the escalating scandal and calls for accountability, Charles stripped his brother of all his royal titles, including Prince and Duke of York, and forced him out of his Crown Estate home. Now, says the source, “Kate is saving Harry from being ostracized by his father” — and Charles from a legacy as a king estranged from his son.
Harry’s Big Decision
Harry confirmed a shocking shift was in play when, a few days after he saw Charles in September, he told The Guardian that moving forward, “the focus really has to be on my dad.” Harry also said he’d like to spend more time in the U.K. and take his kids, Archie, 6, and Lilibet, 4. “This week has definitely brought that closer,” he admitted.
WPA-Pool / MEGA
Ideally, adds the source, “he’d love to go back with Meghan and their children. But his wife has made it clear she still has zero interest in setting foot in the U.K.” She hasn’t returned since Queen Elizabeth II’s 2022 funeral. “She knows it’s the equivalent of entering the lion’s den,” says the source. “So Harry will almost certainly be going alone.”
That suits Kate just fine as she continues to discreetly influence negotiations. For her, it’s an opening to rekindle the warm feelings they shared — in his 2023 memoir, Spare, Harry called Kate “the sister I’d never had and always wanted” — without Meghan’s watchful eye. “It will certainly make things easier if Meghan isn’t with him,” says the source. “They’ll be able to speak more freely without needing to walk on eggshells.” After all, adds the source, “The royals still believe Meghan is the main reason the family is estranged.”
Meghan Backlash
It’s no secret her critics think the California native is “controlling,” says the source. “The common view amongst Harry’s friends and loved ones is that he’s still very much under Meghan’s thumb.” Former Vanity Fair editor and royals author Tina Brown said as much last year, declaring Harry is “pretty much in the thrall” of his duchess. From the start, she left him “mesmerized,” the source explains, “and he allowed her to control his every move to a large degree.” While allies see her influence as support, says the source, critics view Meghan as “this ultimate manipulator.”
Getty Images
But in recent months, their dynamic has “started to change,” says the source, with “Harry doing his own thing more” — leaning into his philanthropic initiatives, frequently traveling outside the U.S. to highlight his charitable work, and, now, prioritizing a reconciliation with his father. Meghan, meanwhile, is busy reinventing herself as a businesswoman, promoting her As Ever food product line and With Love, Meghan Netflix entertaining series’ Dec. 3 holiday special. As they continue down separate paths, says the source, “it’s making Meghan feel pretty uncomfortable.”
ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA
She’s grateful for everything she and Harry have built together since starting over in America. “Meghan loves their life in Montecito,” where they enjoy relative privacy on their 5.4-acre, $14.65 million estate, says the source. “She’s got everything she needs with her mom close by.” In addition to celeb friends like Kris Jenner, she’s also become part of the community. In March, she gushed to People about the joy of taking her kids to classmates’ birthday parties, scheduling playdates with other working moms and going to group yoga classes. She’s also just relaunched her acting career: On Nov. 5, Meghan was spotted on the Southern California set of Close Personal Friends, confirming that eight years after retiring from Suits, she’ll make a cameo in the rom-com starring Brie Larson, Lily Collins, Jack Quaid and Henry Golding.
Risking It All
Getty Images
Back in the U.K., Kate is keeping busy, too. As the future queen continues to quietly work to mend the broken bonds between Harry and his family in Britain — where he’ll return in January for another phone hacking trial against a British newspaper — she is also prepping her now-annual Christmas carol service at London’s Westminster Abbey. Tellingly, the theme for the Dec. 5 event is “love in all its forms,” she announced Nov. 12, saying, “As we approach the Christmas season, we are reminded of the power of togetherness,” per People.
While Kate’s emphasis on love and connection sets a hopeful tone, the reality for Harry remains complicated. “Reuniting with his family is his No. 1 priority right now, but that ultimately could come at the cost of his happiness with Meghan,” says the source. “The way things are headed, the marriage is in real danger of unraveling, and right now there doesn’t seem to be any solution to this gigantic problem.”
This story Prince Harry ‘Mending Fences With His Family’ Without Meghan Markle: It’s His ‘Priority Right Now’ first appeared on Star. Add Star as a Preferred Source by clicking here.