King Charles must ensure Prince Harry and Meghan never return to royal duties
There are persistent rumours that Prince Harry wants to return to Britain more often, see his old friends and, most importantly, reconcile with his family.
His sudden and unexpected appearance at his uncle Lord Fellowes’s Memorial Service has fuelled this speculation. He and Prince William were at the back of the church and apparently did not exchange a word.
This is a very deep rift as they have not reportedly spoken in some two years. William does not trust his brother and who can blame him.
We know that the paperback version of his ill-judged memoir Spare, when released in October, will not contain extra material, although he cut 400 pages from the original.
At a time when the King and Catherine are battling cancer, to include more controversial material would have been outrageous. He will also not be giving further interviews to promote it. This is the least he can do.
The optics of his last two visits to Britain, when he saw his father once and then briefly, were puzzling. It is bizarre that he regarded a hotel as more secure than Buckingham Palace.
He has said that the issue of security is paramount for him and that Britain is “too dangerous” for him and his family.
However, if he wins at the Court of Appeal on this issue – or if he were to lose but might
nonetheless, be reclassified under the “Other VIPs” section – who are given automatic police protection, his attitude might well change.
The King has been seeking religious guidance on how to heal the rift with his younger son. He has always indicated that his door is open to reconciliation.
However, if an olive branch was extended by the King and accepted by Harry, there would be strong reservations from William, who is said not to want his brother at his coronation and deeply resents the way he has harmed the royal family.
Catherine, the target of unkind allegations by the Sussexes, is certain to agree.
This is a barrier Harry is unlikely to be able to circumnavigate.
