Signs Prince Harry Has No Plans To Return To The Royal Family
Prince Harry's feud with his family has become such common knowledge that even those not the least bit interested in the royal family know about it. It's believed to have started when Prince William didn't support Harry's relationship with Meghan Markle. Speaking to Tom Bradby during an ITV interview, Harry admitted that William had his reservations about Meghan. "He aired some concerns, very early on," Harry said. Royal reporter Katie Nicholl later published a story revealing that Harry had allegedly accused William of leaving Meghan out in the cold and not making her feel welcome, and so the famous royal feud started — and it's still going strong, from the looks of it.
Harry's relationship with his father, King Charles III, has also suffered, and it appears the rift between them started to crack wide open when Harry announced his plans to step back from his royal duties. It's been messy, to say the least.
In the meantime, royal pundits everywhere have been hoping that Harry would eventually make peace with his family, but since his departure in 2020, the prince hasn't shown any signs of planning a return to the royal fold. In fact, he appears to be perfectly happy living in the United States. "He has obviously found his feet in America, where he feels genuinely happy and content to express himself," body language expert Darren Stanton told the Mirror. Alas, it appears that all signs point to Harry staying as far away from Buckingham Palace as possible.
Prince Harry revealed damaging details about his family in an interview with Oprah Winfrey
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle went from walking the halls of Buckingham Palace to Oprah Winfrey's couch within the span of a year. They wanted to tell their story and let the world in on the real reason they left, which they said was due to a "lack of support and lack of understanding" from the royal family when it came to keeping the British tabloids in check and the palace's refusal to let Meghan get the help she needed when she experienced severe depression and suicidal thoughts (via Marie Claire).
The prince also shared some details that painted a different picture of the royal family. The world was shocked to hear that some members of the monarchy (Harry never named names) expressed concern about the color Prince Archie's skin would be because Meghan is half Black. Harry also shared that he was hurt by the lack of support he received from his father, King Charles III.
Harry later made an appearance in Winfrey's docuseries, "The Me You Can't See, and spoke candidly about what his life had been like in the months before he left the royal fold, saying that he felt helpless. "I thought my family would help, but every single ask, request, warning, whatever it is, just got met with total silence or total neglect," he said (via People).
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org
Prince Harry and Meghan's docuseries showcased the royal family's flaws
After their dramatic exit from the royal family, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle threw all caution to the wind and filmed a docuseries, letting the world in on what goes on behind the palace walls. The series didn't exactly put the monarchy in a good light; instead, it shined a glaring spotlight on all its flaws — something the institution really couldn't afford at the time given all the recent bad press.
The docuseries, titled "Harry & Meghan," elaborated on some of the claims the couple had made in their sitdown with Oprah Winfrey. A friend of Meghan's, Lucy Fraser, claimed that the royal family used Meghan as a scapegoat to keep negative stories about other members out of the press, while Harry alleged that some senior family members were jealous of Meghan's popularity. "The issue is when someone who's marrying in, who should be a supporting act, is then stealing the limelight or is doing the job better than the person who was born to do this — that upsets people," he said.
Tyler Perry, a friend of the couple, made an appearance in the docuseries and painted the royal family as abusive. Additionally, Harry accused the palace of "institutional gaslighting" following the couple's interview with Winfrey and accused William of "bullying [them] out of the family." Naturally, the docuseries didn't improve Harry's relationship with the royals.
Prince Harry published a tell-all book that put members of the monarchy in a very bad light
The palace was still recovering from the "Harry & Meghan" docuseries drama when Prince Harry released his tell-all memoir, "Spare." What hadn't been openly discussed in the docuseries was laid bare in the book — the good, the bad, and the very ugly. Prince William, in particular, got a bit of a beating in Harry's book when the younger brother detailed a physical fight the two of them had. Harry alleged that William had been the instigator and that he hadn't retaliated.
Harry recalled that the fight started when William called Meghan words like "difficult" and "abrasive" (via The Guardian). "[William] set down the water, called me another name, then came at me. It all happened so fast," Harry wrote. "He grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor. I landed on the dog's bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me. I lay there for a moment, dazed, then got to my feet and told him to get out." In addition to that devastating revelation, Harry also claimed that William and Princess Catherine encouraged him to wear a Nazi costume to a party in 2005. Royal fans would remember the media storm that ensued.
While William may have gotten the worst of it in the book, Harry also touched on how his father, King Charles III, once joked that he wasn't his son. Harry didn't seem to have any qualms about burning bridges with the king and his heir.
Prince Harry believes that Prince William betrayed him
Aside from an Oprah Winfrey interview, a Netflix docuseries, and a tell-all memoir, Prince Harry has also granted several interviews to discuss the flaws of the monarchy — and those of his close family members. While Harry chatted with "Good Morning America," it became clear that a reunion was not on the horizon when Harry said that he felt betrayed by his brother. As he explained it, he and Prince William once vowed that they would never allow their respective offices to pit them against each other in the media, but William and those in his employment had since broken this vow.
In the "Harry & Meghan" docuseries, Harry revealed that he and William wanted to avoid repeating past mistakes where the press is concerned. "I would far rather get destroyed in the press than play along with this game or business of trading, and to see my brother's office doing the same thing that we promised the two of us would never, ever do — that was heartbreaking," he said.
During his interview with "Good Morning America," Harry doubled down on these claims, although he did sympathize with William. "Within the family, it's hard because you are led to believe that if you don't play the game, that you will be destroyed," he said.
Prince Harry didn't try to make peace with Prince William at the queen's funeral
When Queen Elizabeth II died, many hoped that her death would bring Prince Harry and Prince William back together, and perhaps even convince Harry to return to the royal fold. Alas, the relationship between Harry and his family was colder than ever, and there were no signs of Harry trying to make peace with William the entire time he was in the U.K. for the funeral proceedings.
Some fans had hopes for reconciliation when Harry, Meghan, William, and Princess Catherine were seen engaging in a joint walkabout — but the idea was William's, not Harry's, and it was incredibly awkward, as detailed by royal biographer Robert Hardman's book "Charles III: New King. New Court. The Inside Story." That awkwardness was obvious from pictures and video footage, with one of William's team members reportedly telling Hardman, "I don't think either couple found it easy."
However, royal biographer Omid Scobie contested this account of events during an interview with People, claiming, "It was all led by their father ... he was the one that made the suggestion." Additionally, he claimed that the walkabout nearly didn't happen. Apparently, William was resistant to the idea of inviting his brother along, and neither of the two planned on making peace despite the loss they'd both suffered. "The thing that surprised me the most was that afterward everyone just went their own ways and nothing happened beyond that," Scobie said.
Prince Harry left immediately after his father's coronation ceremony
In the leadup to King Charles III's coronation, speculation was rife about whether or not Prince Harry and Meghan Markle would even receive an invitation. And when it came to light that they were invited, many speculated on whether or not the couple would attend. Harry ended up showing up for the proceedings sans Meghan, and he reportedly didn't speak a word to his brother, Prince William, shattering royal fans' hopes for a possible reunion.
The prince didn't receive a particularly warm welcome when he arrived at Westminster Abbey for the proceedings and was seen walking to his seat by his lonesome. Of course, the coronation ceremony was just the beginning of the proceedings — plenty of festivities were planned afterward. Nevertheless, nearly the second the ceremony concluded, Harry was seen hopping into a waiting car, which headed straight for the airport. This was, in part, because he had no formal role to fulfill at any of the coronation festivities that followed (like the appearance on the palace balcony) and because he wanted to spend the last hours of his son Prince Archie's birthday at home in California.
Harry left without as much as a goodbye or congratulations to Charles or William, which was a pretty glum conclusion to what some hoped would be a story of reconciliation.
He only briefly visited King Charles III after his public cancer diagnosis
When Buckingham Palace informed the public that King Charles III had been diagnosed with cancer, many were hopeful that this would be the event that triggered a reunion between Prince Harry and the royal family. After all, an extended visit from Harry to Buckingham Palace was long overdue, but the prince disappointed royal pundits once again, touching down in the U.K. for barely a day and spending only 45 minutes with his father, according to CNN. It was, however, the first time the two had an official meeting since Queen Elizabeth II's funeral in 2022.
Harry's wife, Meghan Markle, and their two children stayed home in California instead of taking the trip. It doesn't appear that Harry had any additional meetings with his father during the short visit. Harry was seen flying back to the States the following day.
Prince Harry didn't connect with his brother when he visited King Charles
After spending less than an hour with his father following the announcement of his cancer diagnosis, Prince Harry didn't use the rest of his stay as an opportunity to reach out to his estranged brother, Prince William. Many had hoped that the brothers would reconnect in the wake of their father's diagnosis, but apparently, no such reconciliation occurred.
Ahead of Harry's visit, a source told People that the prince didn't plan on paying his brother a visit, while a source close to William told The Times that William had "no plans" to meet up with Harry either (via the Independent).
It appears both tipsters were right. Reports that surfaced after Harry's visit confirmed that the brothers hadn't met up, and royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told the Independent that Harry and William's relationship shows "no signs of thawing" despite their father's cancer diagnosis. This makes one wonder what it will take for the two to make peace or if it's even possible for them to set aside their differences. Considering William is the future king, it's highly unlikely that Harry will return to the royal fold if they remain at loggerheads.
Prince Harry used his freedom as a non-working royal to sue British tabloids
When you're a member of the royal family, you're subjected to the royal rota. This system is made up of newspapers, most of which are tabloids, that get first dibs on stories about the monarchy, as Prince Harry explained in the "Harry & Meghan" docuseries. He criticized the royal rota, painting it as harmful and destructive.
It's no surprise, then, that Harry ended up suing royal rota participant Mirror Group Newspapers, which publishes the Daily Mirror, for hacking his phone to obtain information for stories. After his departure from the royal family, Harry sued Associated Newspapers Limited and News Group Newspapers, which also own tabloids that form part of the royal rota. Harry claimed that the palace has a confidential deal with News Group Newspapers (which publishes The Sun) that stipulates that the royal household won't file charges against information illegally obtained in return for a settlement. The prince cited this as the reason for not previously suing the publisher.
In December 2023, he won the phone-hacking case against the Daily Mirror. Had he still been a working royal, this situation would've been far more difficult. Harry revealed that when he decided to bring his case to court in 2019 before he left the royal fold, King Charles III instructed him to drop the charges because it would have a negative impact on the family.
He is planning on trying his hand at making films
A surefire sign that Harry isn't planning on returning as a working member of the royal family anytime soon is all the projects he's thrown himself into since his departure. More recently, he bought the film rights to Canadian author Carley Fortune's book "Meet Me at the Lake." Reports that Harry and Meghan Markle's production company, Archewell Productions, acquired the filming rights first surfaced in August 2023, and Fortune confirmed the news shortly after, saying that she was excited to work with the couple. "I'm so thrilled about working with Netflix and Archewell to bring 'Meet Me at the Lake' to the screen," she told the Independent. "I can't imagine a more perfect partnership."
Back in 2020, Harry and Meghan signed a sweet deal with Netflix (it's reportedly worth $100 million) and have since released three projects in collaboration with the streaming giant, which includes their successful docuseries "Harry & Meghan." According to Netflix's chief content officer, Bela Bajaria, more projects are in the works. "They have a couple of unscripted things they're working on with Brandon [Reigg]. And they actually have like a bunch of development, they have a movie in development, a [scripted] series that they're working on," she revealed at a Netflix event in February 2024, as reported by Deadline. "So all very early development, with a movie, a TV show, and a couple of unscripted shows," Bajaria added. It sure seems like Harry's schedule is way too packed to pencil in future royal duties.
Prince Harry's wife is attempting to restart her career
Early in 2023, news broke that Meghan Markle had signed with talent agency William Morris Endeavor (WME) in the hopes of restarting her career after her stint as a senior member of the royal family. The agency took to Instagram to share the news, and it instantly made headlines, with many thinking that Meghan was setting out to reclaim her acting career. "The agency will be focusing on building out her business ventures across multiple facets of the agency and its broader ecosystem, including film and television production, brand partnerships, and more," WME's post revealed.
In an exclusive report by Variety, it was revealed that Meghan would not be pursuing acting as a career path but would rather double down on "her enterprise efforts." Aside from representing Meghan, WME also began representing the Sussexes' content creation label, Archewell Productions. With so many exciting professional opportunities for them in the United States, it's hard to imagine the Sussexes finding a return to royal life attractive, let alone practical.
Prince Harry has admitted that flying to London is triggering for him
While London has always been Prince Harry's home, he has admitted that he finds it hard to return there after everything that's happened. In an interview for Oprah Winfrey's docuseries, "The Me You Can't See," the prince explained why the city no longer feels like home. "For me, London is a trigger, unfortunately, because of what happened to my mom and because of my experience and what I saw," he shared. He explained that it was only after he started going to therapy that he realized London triggered bad memories and emotions. "For most of my life, I've always felt worried, concerned, a little bit tense and uptight whenever I fly back into the U.K., whenever I fly back into London," he said. He described it as feeling "helpless," "hunted," and as if "there is no escape, there is no way out of this."
The only time Harry says he felt free was when he left the country. He recalled traveling to Africa after his mother's death and how that uneasiness disappeared for the first time in years. "There was a sense of escapism that I'd never felt before, and to then come back to the U.K. knowing what I was gonna be confronted with and knowing what I couldn't get away from was scary," he said. It's no wonder Harry opted for sunny California and keeps his visits to Buckingham Palace at a minimum.
He doesn't think a return is 'ever going to be possible'
During a candid chat with "Good Morning America" in 2023, Prince Harry was asked whether he could ever envision returning to the royal fold as a working senior member. His answer was not entirely surprising. "I don't think it's ever going to be possible," he answered. "And that's really sad because that is essentially breaking the relationship between us." Harry added that even if he and the royal family managed to come to an agreement they could both live with, the British press would still be there, ready to devour his family and make it "unsurvivable" for them in the U.K. "If there was something in the future where we can continue to support the Commonwealth, then that's of course on the table, but there's so much that needs to happen between now and then, and so much that can happen," he said.
Harry's answers seem to be in alignment with royal commentator Emily Andrews' views. Speaking to TalkTV, Andrews said that Harry won't return as a working member of the royal family. "Harry doesn't want to come back," she said, explaining that he once wanted to be half in, half out — living his own life but still supporting the queen and that the palace denied this request. Andrews said she doesn't see the monarchy's stance changing on this, even in light of King Charles III's recent cancer diagnosis.
Buckingham Palace reportedly has no plans to welcome Prince Harry back, even temporarily
Amid King Charles III's cancer diagnosis, rumors were swirling that Prince Harry would be willing to take on a temporary role within the monarchy to help out in Charles' absence. These rumors escalated when Harry spoke to "Good Morning America" after his brief visit to the U.K. to see his father. When asked if his father's diagnosis could potentially mend the family rift, Harry replied, "Yeah, I'm sure," adding, "I think any illness, any sickness, brings families together. I see it time and time again, and that makes me very happy."
Buckingham Palace, however, has reportedly said that there is no chance whatsoever of Harry returning to the royal fold — not even temporarily. Palace sources who spoke to The Telegraph alleged that after the past nasty fights Harry had with Prince William and King Charles, there is no possible way the palace will allow him to resume royal duties while the king undergoes cancer treatment. Other sources alleged to the New York Post that while Charles is open to reconciling, he won't be reinstating Harry as a working member of the family.
It appears that even if Harry were willing to return to Buckingham Palace for a short while, the likelihood of that happening is very low. Perhaps it is about time we royal watchers make peace with the fact that the royal family will always be one redhead short, at least for the foreseeable future.