Prince William has told friends there is “no chance” Harry will be allowed to return to royal duties, following a report that Harry has offered to carry out some some public engagements while their father, King Charles III, undergoes treatment for cancer.
Indeed, William remains “so angered” by Harry’s attacks on the monarchy that he will block any of his brother’s attempts to return to “the Firm,” according to a report by The Mirror’s royal editor Russell Myers. William, the next in line to be king, believes that Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, “cannot be trusted.”
The animosity between the once-close brothers grew after Harry and Meghan acrimoniously stepped away from royal duties in 2020, moved to California and gave a series of interviews criticizing the monarchy. Their interviews portrayed the family as cold, dysfunctional and possibly racist.
Harry’s 2023 memoir, “Spare,” also made unflattering allegations about certain family members, including Queen Camilla and Kate Middleton, but especially William, portraying the Prince of Wales as hot-tempered and unfairly judgmental of Meghan. Following the publication of “Spare,” Harry was adamant in saying that there could be no hope of a reconciliation with his relatives unless he received an apology.
Now, the renegade, Montecito-based royal has apparently changed his tune and seems eager for a reconciliation. In a report published Friday in the Times of London, his friends have floated the idea of his willingness to return to royal duties, if only temporarily. It may be that Harry is trying to publicly force the issue of reconciliation. On Friday, he also gave an interview to Good Morning America, in which he spoke of his love for his family and suggested that his father’s cancer diagnosis could spur a healing of the rift between him and his estranged relatives.
Harry also told Good Morning American that he felt “grateful” that he was able to jump on a plane and fly all the way from California to London to see Charles, right after learning that the 75-year-old monarch had been diagnosed with cancer. As Harry’s GMA interview was making news, the duke’s friends were telling the Times that he had otherwise been in contact with the king and enjoyed several “warm exchanges.”
The Times also reported that Charles apparently wants to see more of his son, with a royal source saying that there is a growing sense that a rapprochement would “benefit the institution.”
“On all practical levels it makes perfect sense for the family to come together to support the king while he’s sick,” the royal insider told The Times. “Much has been said on both sides in recent years, but that has never diminished the fundamental bond of blood, and there are now pragmatic aspects to consider, with the king and Kate’s wellbeing paramount in this.”
The source was referring to the royal family also losing the services of William’s wife, Kate Middleton, until at least after Easter. The Princess of Wales underwent surgery in January for an unspecified abdominal condition, spent nearly two weeks in the hospital and has been recovering at home.
On Monday, Feb. 5, Buckingham Palace announced the Charles had been diagnosed for an unspecified form of cancer, which was discovered while he was undergoing treatment for an enlarged prostate. While Charles reportedly is optimistic about his chances of recovery because the cancer was caught early, he has been told he needs to take a break from public engagements while he undergoes treatment.
The news of the diagnosis prompted Harry to jump on a plane and make a “mad dash” to London to see his father, reports said. It turned out that Harry only saw his father for about 30 minutes before flying back to California the next day. Some royal observers wondered if Harry’s quick London trip was a publicity stunt, to show him as a loving, devoted son. They also noted that he was pressed for time because he needed to be back in the United States on Feb. 8 to hand out an award at the pre-Super Bowl NFL Honors. He and Meghan also were due Whistler, Canada this past week to promote the 2025 Invictus Games. That’s where Harry spoke to Good Morning America.
The royal insider told The Times that details of Harry’s meeting with his father, and subsequent conversations, will remain private, but the feeling is that it “could work” for Harry to return to royal duties. The Times reported that Meghan could be involved as well. saying that “a written plan” would be drawn up for the couple to embark on duties on behalf of the monarch. However, they would not receive any public funds.
But Harry’s older brother and stated “arch-nemesis” is reportedly having different conversations with the king, according to The Mirror. As the next in line to the throne, William has been having “one-to-one meetings” with Charles at the family’s Sandringham estate in Norfolk, where the monarch recuperates after his weekly cancer treatments in London. William was due to attend the BAFTA Awards in London Sunday evening solo, as Kate continues her recovery at home.
A source close to William told The Mirror that there is “no chance” that he would allow his brother back into the royal fold.
“Whatever has been discussed between William and the king is private, but it is absolutely and categorically clear that he (William) would not allow Harry to return,” the source said. “He thought it was a bad idea at the time and he’s even more clear now. If anyone is going to take on more duties it will be William and that isn’t even on the agenda for now. His main focus is on his father’s health, his family and what is best for the monarchy. There is a zero-percent chance Harry is coming back in any capacity.”
William’s mistrust of Harry and Meghan is likely to have been aggravated in recent months by the publication of “Endgame,” a critical book about the monarchy by controversial author Omid Scobie, who has been described as a “mouthpiece” for the Sussexes. The book reignited the row over alleged racism within the monarchy, with its Dutch-language edition leaking the names of two family members — Charles and Kate — who allegedly discussed the skin color of Harry and Meghan’s son Archie before he was born.
Some within Buckingham Palace also are not amenable to the idea of Harry’s return to royal duties, according to The Times. They said the late Queen Elizabeth II made it clear that he and Meghan couldn’t be “half in, half out” when it came to working for the monarchy. The queen was concerned that a hybrid arrangement would allow the couple to capitalize on their royal work while seeking lucrative commercial deals on the side.
It turns out that Charles agrees that the hybrid model wouldn’t work, the Daily Mail’s Rebecca English reported later Sunday. Sources told English that the king was “firmly of the opinion” that there is “no way back” for Harry as a working royal “in any way, shape or form.” However, Charles is still open to repairing his relationship with his son.
Nonetheless, a source close to Harry told The Mirror that he thinks it is time to reconsider the hybrid model. “With the king’s illness there is perhaps more of a reason for those options to be considered,” the source said.
Whether or not Harry is allowed to return to royal duties, the Times said that there appears to be hope within Buckingham Palace and Montecito that “a peacemaking operation” could be successful in the coming months.
This story has been updated.
