There is a growing belief that Prince Harry is placing greater importance on repairing his relationship with the Royal Family than at any point since he and Meghan Markle stepped back as working royals in 2020.
Prince Harry has reportedly been buoyed by his recent meeting with his father, King Charles, which took place last month at Highgrove alongside Meghan and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
The Sussex family spent around an hour with Charles and Queen Camilla on July 10, with The Times reporting that Harry was left “buoyed, very happy, and really energized” by the reunion.
Harry wants to “make things work”
According to a royal source quoted by The Mirror Harry is “determined to make things work” and wants to visit the UK more often and spend time with his family.
“The last few years have been incredibly emotional for him, and now he’s reached a place where he wants to not only visit his home country more, but also would really like to be with his family. If the King were to attend the Invictus Games next year, and appear in public with him, it would be a huge moment for all of them.
“He wants the Birmingham Games to be the best ever, and it would be extra special to have all his family by his side, and that means the King as well.
“He’s said before that he would like reconciliation with his family, so undoubtedly he’s determined to make things work, and that means not doing anything to jeopardise that.”
Many see the key to a full reconciliation between the Sussexes and the King as being that whatever happens during private meetings remains confidential.
No details have emerged about the July meeting, and in a recent string of photos shared by Meghan on Instagram showing the family’s time in the UK, none included Charles or Camilla.
It is understood Harry wants to arrange further meetings with his father, partly to allow the King to spend more time with his grandchildren, whom he has reportedly seen little of since Harry and Meghan moved to the US.
Harry will continue security fight
However, Harry is also expected to continue his controversial campaign for taxpayer-funded security in the UK. He has previously argued that without appropriate protection it is too dangerous to bring Meghan and their children to Britain.
The source added: “[The duke] is not going to give up pursuing the security avenue because that would guarantee Meghan and the children coming over with him, and alleviate a lot of the stress he is under when it comes to arranging such a trip.”
Whether Buckingham Palace believes the time is right for a more public reunion between father and son remains unclear.
The Sussexes have been estranged from the wider Royal Family since stepping down as working royals, with Harry subsequently making a series of public criticisms of his father, Camilla, William and Kate through interviews, their Netflix documentary and his memoir, Spare.
Royal expert and former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond told the Mirror: “It will all depend on whether the Palace feels Harry and Meghan are to be trusted.
“So there are a lot of ifs and buts at this point. However, there would be a wonderful symmetry if Charles, Camilla and William were alongside Harry for the opening of the Birmingham games – just as they were at the inaugural games in 2014 in London.
“I think there is a fighting chance that the King will be there. It’s such a brilliant cause and probably Harry’s best achievement. I’m sure Charles is proud of his son.”
William remains a major obstacle
While Charles appears prepared to keep the lines of communication open, there is little indication that William shares the same outlook.
William’s relationship with his brother remains deeply fractured, and there is currently no expectation that Harry will be welcomed back into the wider family in any meaningful way.
A source recently described the relationship between the brothers as “so broken”, while another insider said there had been “no movement, especially on William’s side. There is no contact.”
Bond said: “As for William, there are no signs yet of any thaw in the frost. But he has much to think about with the 30th anniversary of Diana’s death next year, which — before the rift – is something he would have marked with Harry, as well as the Invictus Games.
“Personally, I think it would be brilliant if we could see them all standing alongside one another and calling a halt to the bitterness. Families are complicated. Families fall out. But that doesn’t mean it has to last forever.”
Could the Invictus Games bring them together?
Harry is expected to return to the UK for the Invictus Games in Birmingham next year, where he reportedly hopes to appear publicly alongside his father.
Organisers are planning to invite the King to take part in either the opening or closing ceremony, as well as visit sporting events and meet competitors.
For Harry, the Games could provide another opportunity to rebuild family relationships – but for now, the apparent progress with Charles remains cautious and private.
