Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will face a new reality when they return to the UK, royal sources believe. Having previously been heavily involved in royal life when they last lived here, the source believes the best-case scenario for the couple is to become “private royals-plus” — meaning they can remain a private couple but also make public appearances with other working royals, speaking to the Sunday Times.
Approval from William and Catherine
However, this may not be completely straightforward. If they are invited to key events, such as the annual Balmoral summer retreat, the source believes approval from Princess Catherine and Prince William will be required. It is understood that the brothers have not spoken in years.
Initial rumours of tension began to rumble in 2019, and they came to a head following the release of Harry's memoir Spare, which made claims about their private relationship.
Source: 'Private royals plus' needs all sides to agree
The source said: “It needs all sides to agree a template for ‘private royals plus.’ It needs them to be much more ‘private’ than ‘working,’ and be seen at family occasions, like Christmas at Sandringham.
“That requires William and Catherine to say ‘yes please’ and how on earth does that happen? Just saying it out loud sounds implausible.”
King Charles welcomes return
Despite these claims, it is understood that King Charles welcomes their return, so he can spend more time with Harry and his family in a private setting. As the monarch, he will surely have more influence on whether they are invited to any annual traditions and whether they make public appearances with the family.
King Charles met with the Sussexes in July, as part of Prince Harry's visit to the UK to promote the upcoming Invictus Games in Birmingham next year. Following the reunion at Highgrove House in Gloucestershire, the Duke was said to be feeling "buoyed, very happy, and really energised," according to a source in The Times.
While his relationship with his father appears to be heading in the right direction, it is unclear how William feels about Prince Harry's return. The Wales' have not publicly addressed the news, after it was splashed on Wednesday evening.
