Prince Harry may have longed for a reunion with his father King Charles during his recent high-profile state visit to the US last week. But according to one source, it remains 'impossible' due to concerns he and wife Meghan Markle would lift the lid on any private discussions.
King Charles, 77, and Queen Camilla, 78, were hosted by President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania at the White House in a historic visit. It presented an ideal opportunity for a possible catch-up with Harry, who now lives in Montecito, California, with Meghan and their two children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
But former royal editor Duncan Larcombe said there is no hope of such a meeting while trust is at an all-time low. He said: "Charles is in an impossible position right now. He and Prince William can't reach out to Harry for fear of him then publicising it. That's the big blockage. If they were to resume contact, they run the risk that Harry and Meghan could disclose more personal details and drop more bombshells about what's happening. This is where the fear lies for the Royal Family."
Duncan added: "If Charles rang Harry and said 'I'm coming to the US, I'd love to see you', the danger is Harry would go public with it. That breakdown in trust is the most significant thing."
Relations with Charles and Prince William, 43, are still deadlocked after Harry, 41, and Meghan, 44, sat down for a bombshell TV interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021. Harry and Meghan alleged racism within the Royal Family and a lack of support for the former actress. Relations soured further after the release of Harry's 2023 memoir Spare, in which he wrote of explosive rows and accused William of physically attacking him.
Royal expert Richard Palmer agreed that Charles is in a very tricky position. He said: "There's always a general worry that Harry or Meghan are going to say something that will embarrass the King and Queen. I don't think anybody in the Sussex camp would have expected a meeting but I'd be very surprised if Harry wasn't watching coverage of their visit."
Another complication is that Trump has made it clear he is no fan of Harry or Meghan. Richard added: "They are anathema to Donald Trump, so including them in the state visit would never have been an option." Over the years, Trump has taken multiple swipes at the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, reportedly saying of Meghan: "That wife of his. Boy, what she's done to that guy?" Last month, he hit out after Harry's plea for the US to show greater leadership over war-torn Ukraine. Trump said: "Prince Harry? How's he doing? How's his wife? Please give her my regards. I know one thing, Prince Harry is not speaking for the UK, that's for sure. I think I am speaking for the UK more than Prince Harry."
Richard said both Harry and Charles will be deeply saddened that they have been unable to resolve their rift. He said: "The whole thing is upsetting for both the Sussexes and the King. When they came over for the late Queen's Platinum Jubilee and attended Trooping the Colour, a senior royal figure made it clear that the King was thrilled to spend time with his grandchildren. There were hopes at that stage that things could improve, but sadly that's not how it's worked out, and there have been many more setbacks since then."
