Prince Harry has had a fractured relationship with his family since quitting royal life and leaving the UK in 2020 with wife Meghan Markle, but rumours continue to grow that he’s desperate for a reconciliation.
And while his father, King Charles, and brother, Prince William, are said to be warming to the idea, one royal is still resistant – with sources telling Closer Queen Camilla is refusing to forgive her stepson.
‘Many people in the family and within the Firm have softened their stance towards Harry. Even William is being a little bit more forgiving now that he sees Harry is detaching himself from Meghan, and lately, there’s been a lot of talk about welcoming him back, perhaps over the holidays. And going a step further there’s now been some discussion about how he could be integrated back into the family,’ an insider says.
‘Not everyone is keen on that idea, but Camilla is opposed to Harry making any sort of return, even for a friendly visit. She doesn’t want to come face to face with him, let alone show him any kind of forgiveness or mercy. She’s made it clear to everyone around her that she believes he’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing and insists he brings nothing but stress and drama to the family. It’s her belief that any interaction King Charles has with him is only going to be bad for his health and for the family as a whole. If Harry does get the invite back to the UK, he’d be wise to stay far away from Camilla.’
Talk of a fall out between Harry and his family first began over four years ago, but the rift became more apparent than ever when he and Meghan spoke out in a TV interview with chat show host Oprah Winfrey in 2021.
Harry, 40, who lives in California with Meghan, 43, and their children Archie, four, and Lilibet, three, later made a string of bombshell allegations about them in his controversial memoir, Spare, in January last year, taking aim at his brother William, 42, sister-in-law Kate Middleton, also 42, and dad Charles, 75.
He also wrote some particularly damning claims about Camilla, 77, comparing her to a ‘wicked stepmother’ and accusing her of having an agenda to improve her public image as the ‘other woman’. Elsewhere in the book, he revealed that he pleaded with his father not to marry her and claimed that she converted his bedroom into her own personal dressing room as soon as he moved out of Clarence House when he was 28.
And speaking to Anderson Cooper on CBS’s 60 Minutes, he reiterated his claim about her need to ‘rehabilitate her image’. He said, ‘That made her dangerous because of the connections that she was forging within the British press. And there was open willingness on both sides to trade of information. And with a family built on hierarchy, and with her, on the way to being Queen Consort, there was going to be people or bodies left in the street because of that.’
At the time, Camilla was said to be upset by Harry’s criticism of her, with a pal saying, ‘Of course it bothers her, of course it hurts.’ And our source explains that Harry has ruined any chance of a future reunion with Camilla.
‘Harry’s got to realize, in hindsight, that making an enemy of Camilla was a huge mistake, because all he’s really done is make life tougher for himself. When he wrote his book, he clearly wasn’t thinking of the long-term consequences, but the reality is he’s made a very formidable enemy and he’s given a lot of ammunition to people inside the Firm who were already opposed to him,’ the insider says.
‘It’s no secret that Harry has always had a problem with Camilla, he never accepted her and when she married his father he doubled down and was very unwelcoming. William was equally opposed to Charles marrying Camilla but, in the years since, he’s managed to find some common ground with her, if only out of respect for Charles and the monarchy. But the same certainly cannot be said about Harry.’
They continue, ‘Even before he wrote his book, he made it known far and wide that he saw her as an evil stepmother. She always complained that she could feel his eyes burning into the back of her head whenever they were in the same room. She kept a stiff upper lip about it all and never complained and that’s proven to be a huge ace up her sleeve because in the end, Harry has come out looking like the bad guy.
‘Camilla always maintained that she’d win their battle, and ultimately, she feels she has because she’s well and truly loved by the British people, or so she believes, whereas, in contrast, Harry has received a lot of bad press.’
In recent weeks, Harry has stepped out for a string of solo appearances in New York, London and South Africa, while Meghan has also been focusing on her own projects, visiting a children’s hospital in LA. It’s prompted speculation that the couple are living separate lives, with some raising questions as to whether all is well in their six-year marriage.
It’s also fuelled rumours even further that Harry could be set to make amends with the royals as he spends increasing amounts of time back in the UK on his own. But Camilla is said to be firmly putting her foot down. ‘Camilla has always said that Harry has no business meddling in his father’s choices and being so flagrantly disrespectful towards the monarchy. And, along with Meghan, he’s proven her right,’ our source adds.
‘In Camilla’s view, he’s done the most terrible things that are totally unforgivable. She doesn’t want that stress anywhere near the King, or the family, and she’s working hard behind the scenes to block his return and make life as difficult for him as she possibly can.’