Prince Harry is facing renewed criticism from royal biographer Tom Bower, who alleges the Duke is attempting to leverage his children, Archie and Lilibet, and upcoming public appearances to regain standing within the British monarchy, as discussions continue over a possible summer visit to the U.K. and potential contact with King Charles III.
In an interview published by the Daily Express on April 1, Bower linked Harry's reported desire to spend time at Sandringham and his role in the 2027 Invictus Games to what he described as a broader strategy to restore royal credibility. "I think Harry is desperate to use Meghan and his children at the Invictus Games in July to revalidate his royal status and is grasping at the sick King for that purpose," Bower said.
The remarks arrive as speculation grows over whether the Duke and Meghan Markle might return to Britain for public engagements tied to the Invictus Games, and whether such a visit could reopen channels of communication with the royal household. Central to that question remains the unresolved issue of security arrangements, overseen by the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (RAVEC), which previously downgraded Harry's protection after his departure from royal duties.
The tension between public appearances and private reconciliation has become a defining feature of the Sussexes' post-royal trajectory. A friend of King Charles, speaking to the Daily Mail, underscored the sensitivity of the situation, stating: "If Harry truly wishes to see his father, he would do well to encourage his supporters to allow such matters to be discussed privately, since low trust and bitter experience in this regard remains one of the principal barriers to progress."
That sentiment reflects a broader institutional concern about managing both optics and trust. Since stepping back from official roles in 2020, Harry and Meghan have maintained a high-profile presence through media ventures, interviews and philanthropic work, while simultaneously seeking a recalibrated relationship with the monarchy.
The Sussexes' representatives responded sharply to Bower's claims, issuing a statement that rejected his credibility and motives. A spokesman said Bower had "long crossed the line from criticism into fixation," adding that "He has made a career out of constructing ever more elaborate theories about people he does not know and has never met." The statement concluded: "Those interested in facts will look elsewhere; those seeking deranged conspiracy and melodrama know exactly where to find him."
The exchange highlights the increasingly adversarial tone surrounding narratives about the Sussexes, particularly as new books and media reports attempt to reinterpret their departure from royal life and ongoing relationship with the institution.
Bower's latest book, Betrayal: Power, Deceit and the Fight for the Future of the Royal Family, also revives unverified claims about internal royal dynamics, including allegations attributed to Queen Camilla. Those assertions have not been independently confirmed and remain part of a broader pattern of anonymous sourcing in royal reporting.
At the same time, external pressures are adding complexity to the Sussexes' position. A recent report by Variety on their Netflix partnership suggested the platform had been "blindsided" by the couple's 2020 interview with Oprah Winfrey, with insiders reportedly "annoyed by the lack of communication." Netflix has not publicly addressed those claims.
Bower framed such developments as reinforcing his broader thesis. "The Variety article endorses what I described in my book, Betrayal," he said. He added: "The Sussexes are reaching the end of the road in Hollywood. Their behaviour, lack of original talent and suffocating self-importance has made it even more important for them to return to Britain in July, meet the King and be revalidated as royals."
He continued: "That option, I believe, will be denied to them. They face an increasingly tough future. That's the price of betraying the Royal Family since Megxit."
