Prince Harry is reportedly planning a meaningful return to the UK next month. This visit is marked by the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the Invictus Games, a paralympic-style event founded by Prince Harry for wounded, injured, or sick armed services personnel and their associated veterans. The Duke of Sussex's visit is also anticipated to include a reunion with Prince William, amid recent personal trials facing the Royal Family.
The Royal Family has recently been confronted with significant health concerns, as both King Charles and Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, have been diagnosed with cancer. These developments have understandably caused a stir within royal circles and among the public.
Prince Harry, who has made his home in Montecito, California with his wife Meghan Markle following their step back from royal duties in 2020, has limited his visits to the UK over the past four years. However, the health issues facing his father and sister-in-law have motivated him to spend more time in Britain, offering support to his family during this period.
Following an update on King Charles's health, Prince Harry made a brief visit to the UK in January, managing to meet with the monarch for a short 30-minute meeting. Speaking to "Good Morning America" after his January visit, Prince Harry hinted at future visits, expressing his intention to see his family "as much as I can" amid other planned trips.
The backdrop to Prince Harry's planned visit is the high tension within the Royal Family, fueled by Prince Harry and Meghan's public revelations in various interviews and publications, including their sit-down with Oprah Winfrey, their six-part Netflix series, and the publication of Prince Harry's memoir, "Spare." These disclosures have highlighted the rifts within the Royal Family, particularly between Prince Harry, Meghan, and other senior royals.
In "Our King," a book by author Robert Jobson, the complex dynamics within the Royal Family, especially between Prince Harry and his brother Prince William, are further explored. The book, as per The Mirror, recounts a particularly tense pre-wedding meeting that involved Prince Harry, Prince William, and King Charles, during which financial support for Meghan was discussed, revealing deep-seated issues that have contributed to the familial divide.
Jobson's account also sheds light on an especially shocking incident that made Harry furious. During a pre-wedding meeting with both princes and King Charles, Prince Harry intended to inform his father about his plans to marry Meghan.
However, Prince William had already spilled the beans. When Harry started telling Charles, William interjected with a cautionary "Are you sure, Harold?"
The real "bombshell" came when King Charles told his younger son that he might be unable to financially support Meghan in the future due to his responsibilities to Queen Camilla, Prince William, Princess Kate, and their children. King Charles is said to have stated that he "couldn't afford to pay for Meghan in the future." Prince Harry was reportedly "infuriated" by this revelation.
Prince Harry's feelings of being slighted and the perceived slights against Meghan by members of the Royal Family have been a source of contention, with Jobson's book providing insight into the strained relations between Meghan and Princess Kate as well.
Despite these challenges, the passing of Queen Elizabeth II and the subsequent public appearances by members of the Royal Family, including a notably difficult walk outside Windsor Castle by Prince William, Kate Middleton, and the Sussexes, have underscored the complex interplay of public duty and personal relationships within the Royal Family.
As Prince Harry prepares for his return to the UK, his visit is not just a testament to his commitment to the Invictus Games and its participants but also a reflection of the ongoing efforts to navigate the intricacies of royal life and familial bonds in the public eye.
Meanwhile, Prince Harry's keen desire to return to the UK and reengage with his estranged relatives come following the cancer diagnoses of both King Charles and the Princess of Wales. Speculation about a potential royal reunion has been mounting, with indications that such an event could transpire as early as next month, coinciding with a celebration of the Invictus Games.
However, the prospect of Meghan Markle accompanying her husband on this trip seems increasingly unlikely, according to royal historian Marlene Koenig. In an interview with GB News, Koenig articulated her belief that Markle may have distanced herself from future visits to the UK, barring major family events.
"I don't think Meghan will be visiting the UK anytime soon. I think she's done with that. Unless there's something major like a funeral. But Harry and Meghan's life is in the US," Koenig stated, highlighting the couple's established life away from Royal duties.
Since their departure from the Royal Family in 2020, Markle's visits to the UK have been sparse, with her last noted attendance being at Queen Elizabeth II's funeral in 2022. Notably, she did not accompany Prince Harry to King Charles III’s coronation last year, a move that underscored the couple's complicated relationship with the Royal Family.
Prince Harry is slated to make his return to the UK for a special service at St. Paul's Cathedral on May 8, though Markle's participation remains uncertain, with her attendance at the event still "to be confirmed".
These developments come in the wake of Prince Harry's candid reflections on his familial relationships. In a separate interview with GB News, the Duke of Sussex expressed his appreciation for the opportunity to visit King Charles during his illness. "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," he shared.
Prince Harry also touched upon his life in California with Markle and their children, indicating a balance between his new life in the United States and his connections to the UK.
"So my family and my life in California is as it is. I have got other trips planned. That would take me through the UK or back to the UK, so you know, I'll stop in and see my family as much as I can," he added, signaling his intentions to maintain ties with his family despite the geographical and relational distances.
As Prince Harry prepares for his forthcoming visit to the UK, the dynamics of his relationship with the Royal Family, as well as Markle's potential involvement in royal gatherings, remain subjects of international interest and speculation.
