Prince Harry is eagerly anticipating his 40th birthday next week and is contemplating his relationships with family and colleagues as he prepares to reach this significant milestone.
Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, are reportedly organizing a "luxurious" celebration to commemorate the prince's transition into a new decade. Although "a number of their A-list friends" are anticipated to attend, it is not anticipated that any senior royals will be in attendance.
The Duke of Sussex is currently contemplating whether it is too late to repair the relationships that were shattered during his relocation to the United States. Nevertheless, an unnamed source told HEAT UK that a significant number of Prince Harry's acquaintances are hesitant to extend forgiveness to him while Meghan, 43, remains in the picture.
“Nobody would go so far as to try and push Harry away from Meghan per say, but the fact he’s still perceived as her personal puppy dog is the big reason William, Camilla and many others inside the Firm won’t budge an inch right now, despite his best efforts,” the anonymous insider shared.
“Even his London friends are worried about the fallout that comes with being perceived as Team Sussex – not so much due to Harry but because Meghan is so resented and untrusted by all corners of British high society at this point. If Harry is lucky enough to build some bridges with his loved ones or old pals then he’d be wise to do so by himself, and not involve Meghan in any way. That’s just the reality he has to live with, as painful as it must be for him,” the undisclosed informant.
Since they resigned as senior members of the royal family in January 2020, in a move known as "Megxit," individuals in Prince Harry's life have been reportedly wary of the impact Meghan has had on him. This divide has only been exacerbated by Meghan's assertion that she was "silenced" by the royal family and did not feel "protected" following their 2018 wedding. However, Prince Harry is attempting to demonstrate that he has not undergone any significant changes since he met his wife.
“For now, Harry’s goal is to remind people that he’s still the same person he always has been. He knows he’s got a mountain to climb, as far as convincing certain people that they should give him the time of day, but by all accounts, he seems to be feeling pretty confident that he can do it. He’s accepted that it won’t be easy and will take time and effort but it’s worth it to him because he doesn’t want to be stuck out in the wilderness forever. His approach right now is to take it step by step,” the tipster claimed.
Additionally, it appears that the father of two has devised a strategy to encourage others to rejoin his cause.
“First on the agenda is to make the rounds and prove to people that he’s still got his own voice and backbone, he’s not some puppet that says whatever his wife wants him to say all the time, which is the impression a lot of people have right now because he’s been so out of touch with everyone. He admits he’s pretty well exiled himself, so he doesn’t blame all these people for just believing what they’ve heard. But he’s now out to dismantle that narrative,” the mole shared.
“He’s trying to strike a balance between sticking up for himself, but at the same time, agreeing to compromise for the sake of getting back into the fold. Turning 40, he’s looking at life as a much bigger picture. Now he’s a father of two, and he’s got mouths to feed as well as his own, and he’s also very aware that time is ticking on,” it added.
The ill health of his father, King Charles, and sister-in-law, Princess Kate, is also a significant factor in Prince Harry's reflection. In February, the monarch disclosed his cancer diagnosis, while Kate disclosed hers in March. After undergoing treatment, they have both returned to public life on a part-time basis.
“His father isn’t getting any younger and there are very real concerns that he could be a lot sicker than he’s letting on. His friends are all getting on with their lives, and of course his sister-in-law’s had this hideous health scare, it’s very sobering and it’s got him determined to swallow his pride and do what he can to dig himself out of this mess,” the spy said.
“It is a delicate situation because he’s still fiercely loyal to Meghan and protective of her and the kids, so it’s not as though he’s going to throw her under the bus or demand she be by his side in this when she’s made it clear she’s not comfortable being back in the U.K. with things as they are. He would love a scenario where she and the kids could come back with him, that is the ultimate goal, but that’s nowhere near possible now. First, he needs to ingratiate himself back in. If push comes to shove, he’ll absolutely stick up for his wife, he just won’t do it in such a defiant or foot stamping kind of way as he has in the past,” the tattler went on.
“He does find it pretty tragic that so many people won’t give her any kind of a shot, but his hope is that when, and if, he’s accepted back into the inner circle, he’ll be able to convince people to let down their guards with Meghan too. He’s aiming to reconnect with people and see who’s open to some sort of dialogue. Yes, some will completely ghost him, he’s bracing for that, but he’s also hopeful that it may not be as grim as he thinks. Of course, he knows that William still has a deep distrust for him, so he’s not even bothering to try that angle right now,” it furthered.
Prince William and Prince Harry both attended the funeral of Lord Robert Fellowes, the brother-in-law of Princess Diana, their late mother, last week. However, they did not engage in conversation or sit beside one another, PEOPLE Magazine reported. Prince Harry is not allowing this to deter him.
“He hopes that once he has enough people on side, they will help sway his brother and convince him that he deserves a chance to make things right, and so does Meghan,” the naysayer suggested.
Business Times has reached out to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for comments.
