Prince Harry may be willing to step into a part-time royal role temporarily, but there are several obstacles in the way of a return.
The Duke of Sussex recently said in an interview with Good Morning America that he loved his family, leading some commentators to suggest Harry was paving the way towards a reconciliation with the Windsors.
Harry reportedly told friends he would be willing to take on a temporary role in order to support his father, King Charles, who is undergoing treatment for cancer.
Sources close to the king have dismissed a possible return by Harry, with the monarch keen to emphasise it is business as usual behind the scenes, though official public-facing duties are on hold. Even if Harry wanted to make a comeback and take on some official engagements, there are a number of obstacles in the way.
In the agreement reached between the Sussexes and the rest of the Royal Family it was made clear Harry and Meghan did not want to be reliant on public funds in their new lives.
The couple released a statement in January 2020 in which they shared their aim to step back as senior working royals. Harry and Meghan said they would “work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty the Queen” (Elizabeth II).
After negotiations with the Sussexes at a summit in Sandringham the late Queen stated Harry and Meghan did not want to be reliant on public funds in their new lives.
Royal expert Valentine Low has said the late Queen feared mixing official royal duties and commercial ventures would taint the Windsor brand and mystique.
Since the couple stepped back and moved to North America, they are said to have earned millions of dollars from deals with Netflix and Spotify, as well as the release of Harry’s bombshell memoir, Spare, which lobbed a series of allegations over the Palace gates.
Details of the Sandringham summit are shrouded in mystery, but in the Sussexes’ Netflix series Harry said he and his wife were given five options.
These ranged from “all in, no change” to “all out”. While the Sussexes are believed to have wanted a compromise between these two extremes, Harry said their wish was rejected.
According to recent reports, the Prince of Wales wants to make sure the terms of the Sandringham summit agreement are adhered to.
William and Harry’s relationship has been strained for some time now, with claims from the Duke that the Prince of Wales physically attacked him and allegations Princess Kate upset Meghan weighing on relations.
King Charles has suggested his door is always open to his youngest son and daughter-in-law, with Harry recently having flown thousands of miles to see his father after his cancer diagnosis.
Mr Low told The Sun: “There are no theoretical obstacles to reconciliation with the King or with William, though with William it would take a long time.
“[Harry] could come back and see his family. He could appear at a royal engagement. But undertaking engagement won’t happen for a long time.”
But Daily Mail diarist Richard Eden said of a possible return during William’s reign: “There is no way that the Sussexes will ever be allowed to rejoin ‘The Firm’ when William’s on the throne, unless they give up money-making and apologise for their behaviour over the past few years.
While the Duke of Sussex has stepped back as a senior working royal, he remains a Counsellor of State.
If the sovereign is unable to carry out his official duties on a temporary basis – due to ill health or absence abroad – two or more Counsellors of State can act in his place.
Current Counsellors of State are Queen Camilla, Prince William, Prince Harry, Prince Andrew and Princess Beatrice.
However, the law has been amended so only working members of the Royal Family can assume the role, meaning Harry and his uncle Andrew would not be called on to assume the role.
There is also the issue of whether the public would want Harry to return to frontline royal duties, though Mr Low said people are capable of changing their minds.
He said: “If Harry showed remorse, if he dedicated himself to the Royal Family, if there were obvious signs of reconciliation – I think all that could go towards putting Harry on a different footing in terms of how the public view him.”
