Prince Harry is said to be ‘desperate’ to heal the rift with the Royal Family that opened up when he and Meghan Markle emigrated to the US, with the Duke now fearing he will be ‘banished’
16:45, 19 Jul 2025Updated 16:48, 19 Jul 2025
He fears being exiled(Image: James Devaney, GC Imagesvia Getty Images)
Prince Harry is anxious that his brother William will exile him from the UK once he becomes King. Despite the recent meeting between the Sussexes’ aides and King Charles’ communication chief, which sparked hopes of a reconciliation, Bower believes that the father-son duo still has a long way to go in mending their relationship, Royal expert Tom Bower has claimed.
Bower stated, “Whether they’ll meet again in Charles’s lifetime depends on how long Charles lives. I couldn’t say never because I’m sure Charles wants to meet his son, but so much depends on how Harry behaves.”
He added that Harry’s greatest concern is being ostracized by William once their father passes away, saying, “Harry is seriously worried that when his father dies one day, William will literally banish him and he will have no status in Britain at all. He will be persona non grata.”
Could he be banned?(Image: Max Mumby/Indigo, Getty Images)
Bower, 78, who authored Revenge: Meghan, Harry and the War Between the Windsors, also described Harry as “his own worst enemy” He told the Mirror that the Duke of Sussex is “desperate” to repair his relationship with his 76 year old father, but given Charles’ ongoing cancer treatment and the depth of the family rift, reconciliation may be a distant hope. “Harry needs a meeting with Charles to show he is part of the Royal Family and to establish his credibility in Britain,” Tom stated.
“But as long as the Palace won’t give him access to Charles, he can’t take the first step. They suspect that the moment he meets Charles, he will use it to establish his credibility, because that’s what he desperately needs, and that’s also why he’s kept away.”, reports the Mirror.
Meredith Maines, Meghan and Harry’s chief of staff in California, and Liam Maguire, who heads their UK PR operation, recently met with Charles’s communication secretary Tobyn Andreae for drinks in London.
Insiders suggested this meeting could signal the beginning of the end of the years of tension and estrangement between father and son. The two have not been in the same room since Harry’s brief visit to Buckingham Palace following the shock announcement of Charles’s cancer in February 2024.
The power could lie with Prince William(Image: Daniela Porcelli, Getty Images)
The King has only met the youngest Sussex child, four year old Lilibet, once. Harry’s next planned visit to his homeland is expected in September, but it may coincide with Charles and Camilla’s annual holiday to Balmoral.
Tom believes it’s highly unlikely they will meet, adding: “My money would absolutely be no. If he did meet him, it would be in private. A lot depends on Charles’s health, that is the unspoken issue in Britain today.
“Because Charles will be in Scotland, the question is will Harry be invited up to Scotland? My guess is no.”
The Duke faces a steep uphill battle after he and Meghan made personal revelations and accusations in an interview with Oprah Winfrey. Harry then published his memoir, Spare, in 2023, where he discussed his fractured relationship with William.
Tom also refers to Harry’s recent BBC interview following his High Court defeat over state security as a “terrible act of self harm”.
The father-of-two described the legal battle as an “establishment stitch-up”, and expressed uncertainty about “how much longer” the King might live. “There’s huge anger in Britain, not least from William, Kate and Camilla about the awful things Harry has said,” Tom stated.
“The interview he gave after he lost the security case, and accused the establishment of a stitch up, showed that he’s completely uncontrollable. He is unpredictable and his own worst enemy.
“But he fears that once Charles dies he will get no help from William. I wouldn’t be surprised if William won’t have him at his Coronation.”
Any interaction between Harry and Charles would require the full support of Charles’s closest and most trusted aides, Tom added, and unfortunately for the younger Royal brother, he is not a priority at the moment.
He commented: “Charles’s health is the prime concern, and William’s succession is the next thing. Harry’s problems are irrelevant and they are irritated by him. Harry can’t just arrive at the Palace and see his father.
“When Harry was in Britain at the time Charles’s visit to France was cancelled due to the riots, there was ample opportunity for a meeting. One would assume Charles’s diary was free. However, Harry was informed his diary was full and he couldn’t see him.
“He can’t even get him on the phone because they don’t trust him and they’re angry with him. They don’t understand his motivations.”
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