Prince Harry is reportedly worried he could be pushed out of the UK when Prince William becomes King, according to a royal expert. The Duke of Sussex is said to be keen on repairing his strained relationship with the Royal Family—a rift that began after he and Meghan Markle relocated to the United States.
Recent talks between senior aides from the Sussex camp and King Charles’s communications chief have fueled rumors of a possible reconciliation. However, royal biographer Tom Bower remains doubtful that Harry and his father will reconcile, warning they may never reunite.
Tom 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 further expressed, “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.”
Tom, 78, author of Revenge: Meghan, Harry and the War Between the Windsors, also characterized Harry as “his own worst enemy,” reports the Mirror.
Speaking to the Mirror, the former journalist revealed that the Duke of Sussex is “desperate” to reconcile with his 76-year-old father. Yet, given Charles’s ongoing cancer treatment and the deep family rift, a reunion seems uncertain.
“Harry needs a meeting with Charles to show he is part of the Royal Family and to establish his credibility in Britain,” Tom remarked. “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.”
In a recent turn of events, Meredith Maines—Meghan and Harry’s chief of staff in California—and Liam Maguire, who leads their UK public relations, were spotted having drinks in London with Tobyn Andreae, King Charles’s communications secretary.
Sources believe this meeting could indicate a possible warming in the strained relationship between Harry and his father, who haven’t been together in person since Harry’s brief visit to Buckingham Palace following Charles’s cancer diagnosis in February 2024.
King Charles has met his youngest granddaughter, four-year-old Lilibet, only once. While Harry is expected to return to the UK in September, his visit may coincide with Charles and Queen Camilla’s annual holiday at Balmoral.
Tom doubts a meeting between Harry and Charles will occur, stating, “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.”
He further speculated, “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 aired personal details and allegations in an interview with Oprah Winfrey. Harry’s subsequent release of his memoir, Spare, in 2023, further detailed the fractured relationship between him and William.
Additionally, Tom references Harry’s recent BBC interview following his High Court defeat regarding state security as a “terrible act of self harm.”
The father of two labeled the legal dispute 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 remarked.
“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 d:ies, he will get no help from William. I wouldn’t be surprised if William won’t have him at his Coronation.”
Any reconciliation between Harry and Charles would require the full support of Charles’s inner circle, Tom noted, but regrettably for Harry, he is not currently a priority.
He stated, “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 because of the riots, there was ample time to meet, and one would assume Charles’s diary was empty. But Harry was told 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.”
It’s been suggested that the recent peace talks wouldn’t have taken place without Prince William’s consent. However, insiders say the rift between the brothers runs too deep for any real reconciliation to be likely.
Royal biographer Tom Bower, who is currently working on a follow-up to his book Revenge, believes William and Kate, both 43, are unlikely to support any further efforts to repair ties—particularly given the ongoing concerns over King Charles’s health.
While Prince Harry has made several short visits to the UK since stepping back from royal duties and relocating to California, Meghan has only returned once—for Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in September 2022.
As she focuses on building her As Ever lifestyle brand and preparing for the second season of her Netflix series With Love, Meghan, Tom suggests Meghan no longer sees reconnecting with the Royal Family as a priority.
“Meghan is tired of it all; she wants it to be over,” he remarked. “She doesn’t give two hoots about what happens.
“It puts a great strain on their marriage and their relationship because Harry frets and becomes very unhappy about it all.
“Meghan wants to get on, and build herself up as a television personality, and have nothing more to do with Britain at all. It doesn’t interest her.”
