A royal expert has claimed that the Royal Family will still be struggling to “trust” Prince Harry and Meghan Markle even as they have reached out to them in a rare move.
Last week it was announced that King Charles would be undergoing surgery for an enlarged prostate, just 90 minutes after it emerged that Princess Kate was recovering in hospital after a major operation on her abdomen.
It has since been reported that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex sent them their best wishes privately, but they have yet to make a public statement on the news.
While the King may be pleased to hear from his youngest son, royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told Express.co.uk that it may not be so easy for them to reconcile.
He said: “Harry and Meghan have indeed reached out at what is a difficult time for the Royal Family. Their message was private. If only they could keep things that way, it might well lead to some form of reconciliation, but, at present, the Royal Family are unlikely to trust them for obvious reasons.”
It is not known exactly how much contact the Sussexes have with the rest of Harry’s family, however in the weeks leading up to Christmas last year it was suggested that the frostiness between them had started to thaw.
Harry and Meghan reached out to King Charles in November for his 75th birthday, as the Duke reportedly exchanged a “warm” phone call with his father.
Meghan also sent on a video of their children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet singing Happy Birthday to their grandfather, whom they rarely see due to them living in California.
This communication sparked rumours that the Duke and Duchess may even be invited back to Sandringham to spend Christmas with the royals, having not done so since 2018.
However this did not happen, with Meghan not having visited the UK since Queen Elizabeth’s funeral in September 2022 and Harry only making a brief appearance at the Coronation last May. He was last in the UK for the first anniversary of his grandmother’s death in September.
A friend of theirs later told the Sunday Times: “I can’t imagine the Sussexes would decline an invitation to spend time with His Majesty. As of yet, there have not been any invitations for the holidays.”
One member of the family that could help Harry and Meghan out with a reconciliation with the royals is Sarah Ferguson, the ex-wife of Prince Andrew who made a surprise appearance at Sandringham last year.
Following her and Andrew’s divorce thirty years ago Fergie was essentially banished from royal circles, however since Charles became King she has gradually become more accepted again.
Royal expert Jennie Bond told OK!: “If Sarah can be welcomed back after 30 years, hope is never lost for a reconciliation between father and son.
“We know that Eugenie has maintained a close relationship with Harry, perhaps Sarah could act as a mentor to help him reconcile with his father.”
