Prince Harry would likely have faced a “horribly awkward” reunion with his family had he been invited to the King’s birthday celebrations, a royal expert claimed.
Reports emerged earlier this week claiming the Duke of Sussex had “snubbed” an invite to attend his father’s 75th birthday party at Clarence House next week.
But a spokesperson for Harry and his wife Meghan Markle has since refuted the claims and said they had not been asked to return to the UK to mark the special occasion.
Royal commentator Jennie Bond however noted missing out on the party could help the Duke avoid a rather uncomfortable evening with Prince William, Kate, the Princess of Wales and other senior members of the Royal Family.
Harry’s relationship with his family has been rather frosty since before he stepped down from his role – a rift his and Meghan’s comments about life in the institution only exacerbated over the years.
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Bond said: “Imagine how horribly awkward his presence would make the whole evening.
“What we have now is a pretty stable, happy family unit in the King and Queen, William and Catherine, the Edinburghs and the Princess Royal and their families.”
“On the other side of the Atlantic, we have the estranged and disgruntled outsiders, Harry and Meghan.
“If they, or just Harry, rocked up at Clarence House it would inevitably put a real dampener on the celebration.”
The former BBC royal correspondent also argued reconciliation will need to happen before Harry and Meghan are once again included in family events.
Bond told OK! magazine: “The air is still heavy with recrimination and hurt on both sides. That needs to be sorted before the family can genuinely unite in celebration.”
While the couple has been asked to join for major state events, such as the funeral of the late Queen and the King’s Coronation earlier this year, they have not joined more private celebrations for years.
Over the summer, commentator Robert Jobson told the Daily Express that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had been offered an “open invite” to join the King and Queen Camilla on the family’s annual retreat to Balmoral.
The couple didn’t pick up the offer and Harry has avoided meeting with his father when he briefly stayed in the UK in September.
An insider last month said that despite signalling he is ready to welcome the Duke back, the King doesn’t “speak much” with his youngest son.
