Prince William has told pals there is no chance Harry will be allowed back into the royal fold.
The Prince of Wales is so angered by his brother’s continued attack on the monarchy that he will block any of his bids to return to The Firm. Sources close to William say that in the wake of King Charles’s cancer diagnosis, he would be the one to take on more duties himself if needed while it is understood he believes Harry and his wife Meghan “cannot be trusted”.
Reports have emerged that the Duke of Sussex, who quit as a senior royal with Meghan in 2020, is willing to return to a temporary royal role to support his ailing father. The Duke and Charles are said to have had several “warm exchanges” before Harry flew from his Californian home to the UK last week and spent 30 minutes with his father.
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THE CANADIAN PRESS)
William and the King have had one-to-one meetings at the Royals’ Sandringham estate in Norfolk, where the monarch is recuperating after weekly cancer treatment in London. A source close said there is “no chance” the heir would allow his brother back.
“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. 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 per cent chance Harry is coming back in any capacity.”
In his autobiography Spare, Harry railed against his family, accusing his brother of pushing him onto a dog bowl in a rage. He also targeted his stepmother Queen Camilla and sister-in-law, the Princess of Wales, who is currently recovering from abdominal surgery.
Last year a book by Omid Scobie, said to be a mouthpiece for Harry and Meghan, triggered a row over alleged racism in the Royal Family. Two royals were said to have discussed the skin colour of the Sussexes’ unborn baby. Charles, 75, believes building bridges with Harry and Meghan would benefit the monarchy, but is understood to think any official role for the Duke would be a backwards step.
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Daily Mirror/Ian Vogler)
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PA)
In 2020, when the Sussexes quit the Royal Family in search of “financial freedom”, Queen Elizabeth II rejected their proposed hybrid role with the royals. They suggested carrying out some duties on behalf of the monarchy while being allowed to pursue commercial interests.
An agreement reached allowed them to seek a new life outside the Royal Family but banned them from styling themselves as their royal highnesses or trading on their royal links for commercial gain. A source close to Harry confirmed: “Harry is ready and willing to help and genuinely believes it would work well for both parties. In his view, it wouldn’t be dissimilar from what was proposed back in 2020, with a hybrid model of working.
“With the King’s illness there is perhaps more of a reason for those options to be considered.” In an interview in Canada, to mark the one-year countdown to his Invictus Games sporting event for wounded veterans, Harry spoke positively about the notion of families coming together in times of illness distress, appearing to offer an olive branch to the royals.
He said: “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.” It was suggested a family illness could have a “reunifying effect”, and when Harry was asked: “Is that possible in this case?” He replied: “Yeah, I’m sure.”
Harry said he would be visiting his father and possibly other family members in the future. He described his life in America as amazing and said he has considered becoming a US citizen. If he took the oath of allegiance he would have to renounce his titles and loyalty to Britain and the King.
He said: “The American citizenship is a thought… but certainly not something that’s a high priority for me right now.” Asked how he processed what was going on with his family in the UK, he replied: “I have my own family, as we all do. My family, and my life in California, is as it is.”
