Royal fans were delighted to see a reunion of sorts for senior working members of the family last weekend as Kate Middleton stepped out for the first time since her cancer diagnosis to take part in Trooping the Colour.
And while many were ecstatic to see the mother-of-three looking well during her first public outing in almost six months, insiders say it was a bitter pill for Prince Harry to swallow as he watched his family put on a united front without him from across the Atlantic.
A source tells Closer, "It was so painful for Harry to see all his family gathered for Trooping the Colour and not be there with them, he’d have done anything to be invited, even gone alone. He's heartbroken and confused by the way they’ve cut him off and seemingly haven’t given it another thought.
"Harry was very upset and emotional when he saw the footage of Kate at Trooping the Colour. He’s been so worried about her ever since he received the news of her condition, and whilst he has managed to connect with her on a few occasions it’s not nearly as often as he’d like.
"He would have dearly loved to have been there, if only to congratulate and support Kate in person on what must have been an incredibly difficult day for her. He could see she was putting on a stoic, brave face but ultimately having the eyes of the world on her was a lot of pressure. The fact he’s got to watch on TV or via the internet from 6,000 miles away just made him so sad, it really hammers home how he's a proper outsider at this point.
"He’s incredibly proud of her and encouraged that she obviously has very good doctors and appeared to be healthy and in good spirits. But the fact he can’t bond with his beloved sister-in-law in person is a kick in the guts and something he finds incredibly difficult to live with."
The last time Harry was in the same room as his father, brother Prince William and sister-in-law Kate was at King Charles' coronation in May 2023, but he is thought to have had no interactions with them during the event.
And during his whistle-stop visit to the UK last month to celebrate 10 years of the Invictus Games, Harry was told his father was too busy to see him.
"He’s saying he’s going to fly over and force them to face him," the source continues.
"He’s tried the approach of digging his heels in and giving them a taste of their own medicine. He thought that might get them to soften and come to him, but instead it’s blown up in his face and they’ve just totally iced him out.
"But he’s still a prince after all, they’re still his family, and whether they like it or not he’s refusing to just be cast aside like yesterday’s rubbish. It’s not like they’re going to turn him away at the gates if he shows up at Buckingham Palace, or Windsor Castle, he’s convinced if he takes that sort of step his father will have to see him."
It was reported earlier this month that Harry is hoping to spend a lot more time in the UK, and even find a permanent home for himself, wife Meghan Markle, and their two children, Archie and Lilibet.
Royal author Tom Quinn said earlier this month, "Harry is determined to find his own permanent home in the UK, which is partly why he’s continuing his legal action to get the British taxpayer to pay for his security."
Our insider continues, "He’s planning a trip over to the UK anyway to look for a new home and celebrate his 40th birthday, so it’ll be easy enough for him to drop by. He’s fired up and vowing not to be kept away from his father forever."
But the source says his longing to be welcomed back into the fold by his family could cause marital problems between him and Meghan, who has famously had disagreements with the royals in the past.
They add, "Meghan’s trying to be supportive and not let it come between them, but obviously there’s plenty of reason for her to worry that this isn’t a healthy road for Harry to be going down. The odds that his family is going to suddenly change their tune just because Harry shows up in person are not high, to say the least. He’s been over there already and couldn’t get the time of day from any of them, not even his dad, so it’s hard to understand why he thinks this trip is going to be different.
"It’s frustrating for Meghan because he’s stretching himself so thin as it is, the last thing he needs is the distraction of this trip taking more of his time and attention away. Especially when most people agree it’s a futile cause that’s most likely just going to leave him more upset and stressed. Plenty of people in his life are warning him off this plan, not just Meghan. They worry it will make things worse with his family because it’s exactly the sort of hot-headed behaviour they abhor.
"Following protocol and waiting for their invite would be a much more advisable route to take. But Harry is tired of waiting and won’t be talked out of this plan. He’s consumed with the idea that he can throw himself at his family’s feet and fix this feud.
"He’s convinced that if he gives them a true and heartfelt apology, they won’t be able to stay angry with him. But that doesn’t mean they’re going to welcome him with open arms. Camilla is so protective of Charles; odds are Harry won’t get even a minute alone with his dad. And William is bound to be even colder. He’s pushing his luck by taking a bulldozer style approach to this."