‘No way back’ for Harry: Palace aides insist there’s ‘zero per cent chance’ the Duke will be allowed back into the royal fold amid King Charles’ cancer battle – even despite olive branch

Buckingham Palace appears to have ruled out a return to the royal fold for Prince Harry, with palace sources claiming there is ‘no way back’ for the duke despite flying to the UK to be at his father’s side following the King’s cancer diagnosis.

Palace aides have insisted that there is ‘zero per cent chance’ that the duke will step in to help out the slimmed down monarchy as King Charles undergoes cancer treatment and the Princess of Wales recovers from abdominal surgery. 

Yesterday, it was reported that the Duke of Sussex – who quit as a senior royal in 2020 – would be willing to return to a temporary royal role in support of his father during his illness.

Insiders had revealed that Harry, who is the fifth in line to the throne, and Charles had several ‘warm exchanges’ during the duke’s transatlantic dash to Clarence House on February 6.

But palace sources have told The Sunday Telegraph that there is ‘no way back’ for Harry, who said in a US interview this week that he thought the King’s illness could help unify his family.

It’s understood that the terms of the Sandringham Summit, which detailed the Duke and Duchess of Sussexes’ exit from the working Royal Family, still stand which rules out a ‘half in, half out’ approach to the monarchy.

The duke, 39, and his father, 75, are not said to have discussed the agreement in their 30-minute meeting, at which Queen Camilla was also present. One source said: ‘Those terms were quite clear, and the King’s illness hasn’t altered that.’

Prince Harry has no chance of being allowed back into the royal fold, despite flying to the UK following the King’s cancer diagnosis, palace sources have claimed

Palace aides have insisted that there is ‘zero per cent chance’ that the duke will step in to help out the slimmed down monarchy

King Charles III and Queen Camilla attend the Sunday service at the Church of St Mary Magdalene on the Sandringham estate on February 11

The Sandringham Summit was negotiated in detail between Harry, the late Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles and Prince William.

Another insider said that the views of the late Queen, Charles and William that a hybrid model of the monarchy was not appropriate ‘remains the case’.

Harry, who this week spent three days in Vancouver and Whistler with Meghan to promote next year’s Invictus Games, told Good Morning America that his own family now live in California and suggested he could seek American citizenship one day.

But he added: ‘I’ve got other trips planned that would take me through or back to the UK so I’ll stop and see my family as much as I can.’ 

It comes after a palace source also told The Mirror there is ‘no chance’ of Prince Harry returning as his brother would not allow it because he believes his brother and Meghan ‘cannot be trusted’.

The source told the newspaper: ‘It is absolutely and categorically clear that he (William) would not allow Harry to return.

‘There is a zero per cent chance Harry is coming back in any capacity.’

Harry reportedly told friends he would return to Britain to help with royal duties while his father undergoes cancer treatment.

But in a fresh claim on Saturday evening, royal insiders said the Duke of Sussex was ‘blocked’ from having a heart-to-heart with the King by Palace aides, who feared ‘they’d never get rid of him’. 

‘Harry came over to see his father, expecting to go to Sandringham. But instead he was asked to be at Clarence House and was restricted to 30 minutes,’ the source told The Sun on Sunday.

‘The fear was that if he went to Sandringham they would never get rid of him.’

Prince Harry, who stepped down as a working royal alongside his wife the Duchess of Sussex in 2020, is a counsellor of state but is not expected to take up any of the King’s duties while he recovers.

He suggested the King’s illness could lead to a reconciliation with his father in an interview with a US breakfast show.

Harry also said ‘I love my family’ and that he was ‘grateful’ to be able to spend time with his father when he flew back to the UK last week.

But insiders last night insisted no offer had been made to Harry to take on a ‘half in, half out’ hybrid royal role, as palace officials reportedly scoffed at the idea and questioned how such an arrangement could ever work.

Insisting other senior royals like the Queen, Prince Williams, Princess Anne, Prince Edward and Sophie were ‘more than capable of holding the fort’, a source added: ‘Is Harry really saying he’d fly back from California to attend an investiture?’

King Charles III leaves The London Clinic with Queen Camilla by his side on January 29

Prince William has told friends he will block any attempts by his brother to return and would be the one to take on more responsibility if needed

Aa palace source told The Mirror there is ‘no chance’ of Prince Harry returning as his brother would not allow it

During a tour of the winter sports town of Whistler, which is hosting the 2025 Invictus Games alongside Vancouver, Prince Harry was interviewed by Will Reeve

A royal source also told the Times that Charles is keen to reconcile and see more of his son, and believes doing so would benefit the monarchy.

‘On all practical levels it makes perfect sense for the family to come together to support the King while he’s sick,’ they said.

‘Much has been said on both sides in recent years, but that has never diminished the fundamental bond of blood, and there are now pragmatic aspects to consider, with the King and Kate’s wellbeing ­paramount in this.’

The duke’s whirlwind visit to see Charles prompted speculation the brothers, estranged since the duke stepped down as a working royal, may be on the point of rebuilding their relationship.

In the interview, aired on Good Morning America, it was suggested a family illness could have a ‘re-unifying effect’.

Harry was asked ‘is that possible in this case?’ to which he replied he was sure. 

Buckingham Palace has not given details about Charles’s cancer and Harry declined to divulge any information when asked about his ‘outlook’ on the King’s health, replying ‘that stays between me and him’.

But he said he would be visiting his father in the future: ‘I’ve got other trips planned that would take me through the UK or back to the UK, so I’ll stop in and see my family as much as I can.’

There was no meeting between the duke and his brother, the Prince of Wales, last Tuesday after Harry spent time with Charles at Clarence House.

The breakdown in the bond between the royal brothers can be traced back to the early period of Harry’s relationship with wife Meghan when his then fiancee had a falling out with the Princess of Wales in the run-up to their wedding.

Since stepping down as working royals in 2020 and moving to California, the Sussexes have aired allegations and grievances against the monarchy and members of the royal family which have also soured relations.

The duke and his wife Meghan were this week in Canada staging a number of events with Invictus competitors to mark a year to go until Harry’s Invictus Games, for wounded and sick veterans and military, is staged in the country.

Prince William talks with Tom Cruise at the London Air Ambulance Charity Gala Dinner

Prince William said he would step up his own royal duties if needed

They were being followed by a film crew led by Will Reeve, the son of the late Superman star Christopher Reeve, who interviewed Harry in the winter sports town of Whistler, which is hosting the 2025 Invictus Games alongside Vancouver.

Speaking to Reeve, Harry said: ‘Look, I love my family.

‘The fact that I was able to get on a plane and go and see him and spend any time with him, I’m grateful for that.’

The duke was asked about his life in America, something he described as ‘amazing’, and whether he had contemplated becoming a US citizen, with the royal saying he had ‘considered’ it.

Harry added: ‘The American citizenship is a thought that has crossed my mind but certainly not something that’s a high priority for me right now.’

Asked how he ‘processed’ what was going on with his family in the UK, the royal replied: ‘I have my own family, as we all do. My family, and my life in California is as it is.’

Meghan and Harry are bringing up their two children Prince Archie, aged four, and two-year-old Princess Lilibet in the celebrity enclave of Montecito in California.

The duke said: ‘The kids are doing great, the kids are growing like all kids do very, very fast. They’ve both got an incredible sense of humour – make us laugh and keep us grounded every single day, as most kids do.

‘I’m just very grateful to be a dad.’

During the interview, footage was shown of Harry trying the skeleton bobsleigh, one of the winter sports being introduced at the Invictus Games next year for the first time.

Harry said hosting the biennial Games, or the one year to go events, were his ‘…annual fix, to be amongst this community and have a laugh, have fun – no matter which nation they’re from the banter’s the same.

‘I get a lot of energy just from being around these guys.’

Harry and Meghan were pictured jetting home to Caliofnia on Saturday morning following their whirlwind visit to Canada – the country where they fell in love. 

MailOnline has approached representatives of Prince Harry and Buckingham Palace for comment.