A Royal commentator recently claimed that Harry should have reached out to one major player in the family.Jennifer Newton, Charlotte Foster and Ewan Mowat Deputy Trends Editor
19:45, 26 Jul 2025Updated 19:47, 26 Jul 2025
Prince Harry(Image: Wiktor Szymanowicz/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
Speculation about potential peace negotiations between Prince Harry and King Charles has intensified following reports that senior advisers to both royals were seen at a London meeting.
And a Royal commentator has offered their perspective on suggestions that one prominent Royal could heal the family divide. Earlier this week, a Royal source suggested that Harry ought to have turned to his aunt, Princess Anne, during the difficult period that ultimately saw Harry and Meghan step back from Royal duties and move to California.
The source, described as a confidant of the princess who similarly lived in the shadow of her brother King Charles, revealed these thoughts emerged following the publication of Prince Harry’s explosive memoir Spare.
However, despite the source’s convictions, former BBC Royal correspondent Jennie Bond reckons it’s now too late for the Duke of Sussex to seek counsel from the Princess Royal or rely on her to repair the fractured bond between himself and his father.
Speaking exclusively to our sister title the Mirror, Ms Bond claimed Harry had been “extremely disloyal” to the Firm, which wouldn’t be looked on well by Anne.
The source reportedly told the Sunday Times: “He really ought to talk to Princess Anne. She often talked about how, as children, she was treated so differently from Charles.
Prince Harry and Princess Anne(Image: Getty Images)
“She was second to him and kicked further down the line of succession as a woman, but she forged her own path. In her twenties, she was bolshy and upset about a lot of things, but she came through that.
“He should talk to her about her experiences. She is shrewd. She could tell him a lot about what she went through.”
However, Jennie suggests that the opportunity for Anne to offer Harry guidance – both on managing life as a ‘spare’ and mending his fractured ties with the Royal family – may now have slipped away.
Ms Bond said: “Yes, Anne would have been the perfect person to offer advice and guidance, but sadly, this is no longer relevant as Harry has made it quite clear that he has no desire to return to life as a working royal.
A Royal expert believes ‘loyalty is paramount’ to Princess Anne(Image: Getty Images)
“She could have told her nephew that ‘playing second fiddle’ is the wrong way to look at his status. Instead, as she has shown, the second born can be an invaluable support to the institution of monarchy, and a vital friend, confidant and wingman/woman to the monarch.
“She could have explained that they are a team, a firm, working together to keep the monarchy relevant and using their platform to help charities and communities.”
Ms Bond further suggested that Anne might be reluctant to wade into the ongoing tensions between Harry and Charles, whilst also questioning whether the Princess Royal fully grasps the depth of the family divide.
She said: “It may be that the King has discussed his family troubles with Anne, but I rather doubt that she would want to get involved. To Anne, loyalty is paramount, and I suspect she feels that Harry has been extremely disloyal to his father, his brother and the monarchy. She might well find that hard to forgive.”
Speculation about a possible Royal rapprochement began to circulate earlier this month following a meeting between Harry’s chief communications officer and Liam Maguire, who oversees Harry and Meghan’s UK public relations, with the King’s communications secretary Tobyn Andreae.
The rendezvous took place at the Royal Over-Seas League, a private members’ club conveniently located near Clarence House, which is Charles’ London home.
The initiator of the meeting remains unknown, but insiders have characterised the encounter as laid-back, with casual drinks aimed at establishing a line of dialogue between the two parties.
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