Rumours have circulated recently that suggest Prince Harry may return to his royal role, and be willing to take on some royal engagements.
Since the news of his father, King Charles III’s cancer diagnosis, royal experts have weighed in on the likelihood of the Duke of Sussex once again acting as a working royal.
The Times recently reported that the King supported a reconciliation with his son, and that an “arrangement” featuring Prince Harry returning as a working royal “could work”.
A royal source told the publication: “On all practical levels it makes perfect sense for the family to come together to support the King while he’s sick.”
“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,” continued the source.
Harry is currently listed as a counsellor of state to the King, meaning that King Charles could delegate official duties to him, to act in His Majesty’s place.
However, a source told the Daily Mail: “Aside from a small number of investitures, the King does not plan to offload a great number of duties on other family members while he undergoes treatment.”
Additionally, during an interview with Good Morning America on 16 February, the Duke hinted at his priorities lying with his own immediate family, who are based in California.
In response to being asked about how he is processing his father’s health, Prince Harry said: “I have my own family as we all do. My family and my life in California is as it is.” He then added that whilst he will return to the UK, it will only be briefly. “I have got other trips planned that would take me through the UK or back to the UK, so I will stop in and see my family as much as I can.”
However, according to King Charles’ former butler Grant Harrold, one royal could stand in Prince Harry’s way when it comes to potentially returning to the royal fold – his brother.
“[Harry] could have a discussion with his brother about resuming his royal duties, but obviously there is so much that has happened over the last couple of years and that needs to be sorted out before the Sussexes made a permanent return,” Grant Harrold told The New York Post.
“I don’t think it would be impossible. When I was working for the royal family, I saw how close William and Harry were, I don’t think that’s a relationship that is too far gone to be healed or fixed.”
Prince Harry and Prince William’s relationship has reportedly been strained since Harry’s decision to step down as a senior royal in 2020, with some sources claiming the feud started even before then.
Although he believes it would take work and time to rebuild “trust”, Grant believes that Harry’s relationship with Prince William and other royal family members could be healed.
The Duke of Sussex returned to the UK following King Charles’ cancer diagnosis, however he only partook in a 45-minute meeting with his father, and flew back to the United States 24 hours later.
When asked how he first heard of the news of King Charles’ cancer diagnosis on Good Morning America, Harry said: “I spoke to him. I jumped on a plane and went to go see him as soon as I could. Look, I love my family. The fact that I was able to get on a plane and go and see him and spend any time with him, I’m grateful for that.”
Neither Buckingham Palace nor the Office of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex commented on the meeting at the time, but one source told HELLO! that the King would have been “enormously touched” that Harry made the effort to see him.
According to The Times, Harry and Charles are also said to have shared “warm exchanges” after the King revealed his health news in early February.
Robert Hardman, author of Charles III: New King. New Court. The Inside Story, also spoke with HELLO! addressing the brevity of the reunion, saying: “The King is not in a position to suddenly throw the diary up in the air and rearrange everything. He doesn’t want that anyway. He’s trying to maintain as normal a schedule as possible. But it’s lovely for Harry to have come over.”
While the King is taking a break from royal duties, Prince William, Princess Anne, Queen Camilla and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh are stepping up in terms of engagements.
