Prince Harry and Meghan Markleare said to be quietly exploring a part-time return to royal life, with sources claiming the couple hope to use a planned UK visit this summer to show the monarchy how their newfound 'Sussex magic' could help rehabilitate its image after years of scandal.
The renewed speculation follows the pair's recent high-profile trip to Australia, their first visit to the country since 2018, which was swiftly dubbed a'faux royal tour'by commentators. Although conducted in a private capacity, much of the itinerary closely mirrored official royal engagements, including hospital visits, charity appearances and set-piece speeches that would not have been out of place on a formal royal schedule.
Harry and Meghan spent several days in Australia, visiting the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne, a homeless women's shelter and the Australian National Veterans Art Museum. Harry also met supporters of a men's health charity and veterans at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, while Meghan appeared as a guest judge on MasterChef Australia and headlined a wellness retreat, where VIP tickets costing £1,600 included a photograph with her.
According toHeatworld, via an insider, the couple were buoyed by the reception. 'Harry and Meghan are very pleased with how this trip has gone,' the insider said. 'It has given them a lot of confidence and reinforced their belief that the tide is finally turning in their favour.' In their view, the public turnout and attention on their chosen causes 'confirmed Harry's belief they are creating a groundbreaking new blueprint' for a different kind of royal-adjacent life.
One royal editor even described the Australian schedule as a 'dummy run' for a similar tour in Britain. Behind the scenes, Harry is now pushing to be accepted back into the royal family on what amounts to a half-in, half-out basis, a hybrid role the late queen publicly rejected when the Sussexes stepped down in 2020.
'The way he sees it, the royals need him and Meghan flying the flag for the monarchy, especially with all the negativity they have endured from the Andrew scandal,' the insider said. Harry hopes to sit down with King Charles 'in a couple of months' when he is next in the UK, intent on persuading his father that this 'new chapter' can work.
If that sounds optimistic, Harry and Meghan evidently feel they have momentum. Their arrival in Australia was deliberately low-key. They reportedly flew business class on Qantas from Los Angeles to Melbourne without their children, Archie, 6, and Lilibet, 4, and told organisers they were happy to be addressed informally. Harry's reply, 'However you like,' and Meghan's, 'Call me Meg,' were clearly intended to project ease rather than grandeur.
The Telegraph, in an opinion piece, observed that the couple appear to have edged closer to what they originally sought in their 2020 statement before the Sandringham summit, namely a 'progressive new role' and the status of being 'members of the royal family with financial independence.' That request was firmly rejected at the time. Now, the same long-shot idea is quietly back on the table, at least in their view.
Financial and reputational stakes are high. 'The opportunities for growth and success are huge, so they were desperate to make a good impression and build themselves a new powerbase,' the insider claimed. 'They both truly believe there is a pot of gold waiting for them if they get this right.' The choice of events in Australia veterans' art, mental health, food television and wellness culture doubled as a showcase for brands and causes that could support their post-royal projects for years.
Image management also appears to have been carefully stage-managed. Meghan's wardrobe, featuring numerous Australian designers, drew extensive coverage. A separate source insisted this was the product of weeks of planning, saying she 'spent a fortune on image consultants to make sure she was not perceived' as a diva. Everything from outfits to body language was allegedly fine-tuned well before departure from California.
Source: International Business Times UK
