King Charles has privately signalled he is ready to offer Prince Harry a part-time return to royal life when the duke visits the UK in around two months' time, but will not 'take orders' from Meghan Markle or bend on rules over using royal titles for profit, according to a royal insider.
It comes after months of briefing and counter-briefing about whether Harry might somehow rejoin the institution he walked away from in 2020 with Meghan. The couple's decision to step down as senior working royals, move to California and subsequently criticise the monarchy in interviews and in Harry's memoir blew open one of the most serious rifts in modern royal history.
Harry has nonetheless been open about wanting to repair relations with both his father and his brother, Prince William.
The new claims centre on a possible 'truce' between King Charles and his younger son, said to be under active discussion ahead of Harry's summer trip. The King, 77, is described as backing Harry's tentative return to the fold despite William's reported reservations, but only if the ground rules are clear from the start.
An insider toldCloserOnline, 'Harry wants to come to Charles with all these demands on behalf of Meghan, but people are warning him that's not going to go over well with his father. Charles is not interested in appeasing Meghan or allowing Harry to let her pull the strings.'
The source added that while the king is willing to 'pave the way' for his son's return, he wants to deal with Harry 'man to man' and is 'not going to be taking orders from Meghan.' Those close to the situation say the monarch's position is not new, but he is now ready to 'put his cards on the table' in a formal conversation.
The news came after King Charles chose not to visit the Sussexes during a recent trip to the United States with Queen Camilla. At the time, royal author Richard Eden quoted a source close to the family saying: 'The king hopes to see more of his son and spend time with his grandchildren. This will happen in Britain before long.'
That desire to know Prince Archie, who has just turned seven, and Princess Lilibet, four, is said to be driving much of the king's determination. The same insider now claims the success of his US visit, where Charles was welcomed by American royal watchers, has only reinforced his sense that he remains firmly in charge of royal decision-making.
'From Charles's perspective, this is about repairing a relationship with Harry and building a relationship with his grandchildren, this is what's motivating him,' the source said.
'But as he's proven lately, he's still very much in his power and he's only going to bend so far. If Harry wants to have a relationship with him he's going to have to do it on Charles' terms, whatever offer he does extend is not going to be up for negotiation.'
Source: International Business Times UK
