He’s preparing to return to the UK later this month for the annual WellChild Awards – but Prince Harry’s trip is already shrouded in drama.
Sources tell Closer that Harry has instructed his aides to reach out to Buckingham Palace to arrange some private time with his father, King Charles, as well as brother Prince William and his wife, Kate Middleton, in a bid to finally resolve their years-long feud.
An insider reveals, ‘Harry’s team are pushing for an answer, but Palace insiders stress that diaries are “tight” due to the family’s gathering at Balmoral, and there is nervousness about what Harry might expect. There’s no appetite for confrontation. But equally, they know Harry is determined – and that makes things tricky.’
The once ‘Fab Four’ ©Photo by Kirsty O’Connor – WPA Pool/Getty Images
Senior aides are said to be wrangling behind the scenes over how to structure any meeting, with disagreements about whether Meghan [Markle] should be present, if William should attend, and how long Harry might get to spend with his father.
The source continues, ‘It’s like trying to organise a political summit. Every side has conditions, and unless they can all agree, it risks falling apart completely. One of the most sensitive sticking points is whether Harry should meet with William and Kate. Harry has always felt Kate was a bridge between him and William. If he can get her on side, he feels the rest will follow.’
Prince Harry wants to visit his father King Charles ©Photo by Peter Summers/Getty Images
In July, senior aides for King Charles, 76, and Prince Harry, 40, met for peace talks – prompting rumours Harry could be welcomed back into the royal fold.
But as Closer previously reported, the King was pushing for a ‘prenup-style’ deal to lay down strict rules for any future relationship with the Sussexes – which didn’t go down well with Meghan.
The contract would supposedly limit what information would be shared by the Sussexes and what would be kept strictly behind closed doors.
Meghan Markle with Chrissy Teigen on her show With Love, Meghan ©Jake Rosenberg/Netflix © 2025
Since stepping down from royal duties in 2020, Harry and Meghan have made several damning allegations against his family – particularly William and Kate. The couples were once lovingly dubbed the ‘Fab Four’, but in his book Spare, Harry claimed he had a heated row with his dad and brother over ‘Megxit’ and that William, 43, knocked him to the floor during an argument. He also claimed sister-in-law Kate, 43, made Meghan cry ahead of their wedding over a disagreement about bridesmaids’ dresses.
The couple have continued to share intimate details about their private life, with Meghan – mum to Archie, six, and Lilibet, four – recently revealing it was Harry who said ‘I love you’ first on the new series of her Netflix cooking show, With Love, Meghan.
Speaking to Queer Eye presenter Tan France, the mum of two opened up about how the pair are now in the ‘honeymoon period’ after spending the first part of their relationship in ‘the trenches’.
‘You have to imagine, at the beginning it’s all butterflies – but then we immediately went into the trenches together. Right out of the gate, like six months into dating,’ she said. ‘So now seven years later, when you have a little bit of breathing space, you can just enjoy each other in a new way.’
Prince Harry ‘feels stronger’ with Meghan Markle by his side ©Photo by Sascha Schuermann/Getty Images for the Invictus Games Foundation
It’s thought Meghan – who hasn’t been on UK soil since 2022 – has no interest in joining Harry on his trip back home.
‘For Meghan, the situation is even more fraught. Friends say she feels any trip to the UK would reopen old wounds and put her in the firing line. Meghan absolutely doesn’t want to be seen as the problem all over again. She’s put her foot down and made it quite clear that Harry must do this on his own,’ the source adds.
‘Harry wants his wife beside him, but he also knows these talks might never happen unless he compromises. Harry sees the WellChild Awards trip as his chance to finally make progress – but without Meghan, and with Palace aides wary, the odds of success look slim.’
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It comes after Harry revealed he would ‘love a reconciliation’ with his family, admitting in a BBC interview earlier this year, ‘There’s no point continuing to fight any more, life is precious.’
But with Meghan refusing to back down, and the palace struggling to come to an agreement, the opportunity to draw a line under their fallout remains in doubt, and Harry doesn’t want to take no for an answer.
‘He knows this could be the last real chance to sort things out, that’s why he’s so determined. But with Meghan’s attendance hanging in the balance, and the Palace dragging its heels, there’s every chance it could all collapse. And that would devastate him,’ the source adds.
‘Meghan doesn’t see the point in walking back into the lion’s den. Harry wants Meghan by his side – he feels stronger with her there, but Meghan thinks she’d be walking into a trap. The Palace doesn’t particularly want her there either, which makes things even more complicated.’