There have long been rumours that Prince Harry is attempting to make it back into the royal fold, with recent reports suggesting he has even sought advice from trusted former aides in the UK to help plot a return.
But amid a strained relationship with his brother, Prince William, and father, King Charles, it’s no secret that he and wife Meghan Markle need as many allies as they can get. And sources have revealed that the couple, who quit royal life in 2020 and now live in Montecito, are relying on the support of one family member in particular.
An insider has told Closer that Harry, who recently celebrated his 40th birthday, and Meghan, 43, have honed in on their relationship with one particular person, with the hopes of using their connections to help them rebuild burned bridges.
Our source says of the Duchess of York, who was diagnosed with skin cancer this year after facing breast cancer last summer, ‘Sarah is in a really good position right now. Thankfully, her health seems to be getting better and she seems to have worked her way into the good graces of the royal family. She’s no longer a working royal, so it’s not in official capacity, but she is being attached to a number of projects that have the royals’ blessings. She’s having a much more active role within the firm than she’s had in years, there’s a lot of respect for her right now.
‘And, since she’s always been warm and kind towards the Sussexes, even if she has said occasional things about them that they’d rather she didn’t, they’re now looking to her as someone that can help them break down some barriers. Meghan and Harry have zeroed in on her, and the fact that she’s Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice’s mother makes her even more appealing because they have so much love and respect for her girls. Harry is planning to see her on his next visit to the UK, and they’ve been sending her messages and gifts to support her while she’s healing. So far, the response from Sarah has been very positive so they feel hopeful that she could be key ally.’
Since leaving the UK, Harry, who shares children, Prince Archie, five, and Princess Lilibet, three, with Meghan, has become estranged from William, 42, and Charles, 75. Despite the rift, he appeared to remain in regular contact with his cousins Eugenie, 34, and Beatrice, 36, and was particularly close to Eugenie. Although things have appeared distant in recent times, the pair attended the Super Bowl together in California in 2022 and she was the only member of the royal family to appear in their bombshell Netflix docuseries, Harry and Meghan.
And while Sarah, 64, has made a string of eyebrow-raising comments in the past – including that she doesn’t have a bond with Meghan – she has also spoke out in support of them. Last year, she branded them ‘brave’ following their move to their US. ‘The thing is – and I’m really adamant about this – is that anyone that is out there really trailblazing for their own beliefs, and it doesn’t matter where you’re from or who you are, you trailblaze for what you believe … That’s very brave,’ she said. ‘I would never be one to make a comment on any other member of the royal family or anybody who does that. I just find anyone that stands very tall about their own beliefs is very brave, whoever it is.’
And appearing at the Cannes Film Festival in May, she spoke about the important of family members supporting one another. ‘I think family unity is key… I think the key to life is that we all support each other. And also forgiveness is a great thing. I think forgiveness of yourself and forgiveness of others,’ she confessed.
Sarah, who was married to Prince Andrew until their divorce in 1996, knows all too well how it feels to be under scrutiny, as she faced her own struggles during her time in the Firm. She previously admitted that she can ‘relate’ to Meghan, saying ‘it must be hard’ for her. She added, ‘I have been in Meghan’s shoes, and I still am. There’s always a twist of negativity and it just gets so sad and tiring; it’s hard and mean. I abhor bullying and I feel desperately sorry for the pain they must be going through because I’ve been through it.’
The source explains, ‘There was a time when Sarah was absolutely persona non grata in the royal family. Even before she divorced Andrew, she was considered ‘too common’ to be a member of the crown and the public was incredibly disrespectful of her and she was called all sorts of names. And, it was an open secret that Prince Phillip had absolutely no time for her and even palace courtiers looked down on her. After years of being an outcast she’s managed to earn back a lot of respect from key members, but she certainly hasn’t forgotten what it was like to be pushed out into the cold.’
Without putting her own reputation on the line, our insider adds that she will do everything she can to help Harry and Meghan. ‘She’s very shrewd and will protect herself and her position above all else, but knowing Sarah she will want to do what she can to help, without risking her own neck, of course. She’s always had a soft spot for Harry, but even more than that, she adored his mother Princess Diana, so she’ll want to help mend this rift for the sake of her memory, if nothing else,’ they continue.
‘When she was in Cannes earlier this year, she made a big point to talk about the importance of ‘unity and forgiveness.’ A lot of people, including Meghan and Harry, took that as a sign that she’s open to helping push for more peace within the family. Eugenie and Beatrice have already been doing what they can to smooth things over, but Sarah’s got a much closer relationship with King Charles so the hope is that she could have more sway, considering their long history.’
Our source adds, ‘Meghan and Harry are realistic, they know she’s not going to jeopardize her own standing, but they are counting on her to help as best she can, the more people they can have on their side, the better.’