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Prince Harry will not return to royal duties unless William apologises, but would be willing to ‘help out’ the Firm if asked by his father, a report has claimed. Sources close to The Duke of Sussex have suggested he is happy with his decision to quit his royal role, the Mirror reported. But they claim he would be open to a temporary role within the Royal Family if asked to help out by his father.
It comes after the Mail on Sunday revealed last week that the Duke had turned away from his ‘Hollywood publicists’ and had resorted to texting former confidantes ‘from his old life’ on how to mastermind a return from exile in the United States. However, sources stressed Harry and Meghan, who have spent the past four years living in California with their two children, are not seeking a permanent return.
The Mirror also previously reported that Prince William suggested there would be ‘zero chance’ that Harry would be welcomed back following the publication of his memoir, Spare. In the book, Harry took aim at some members of the Royal Family. He accused William of assaulting him in a row over Meghan and claimed his brother and their father confronted him after Prince Philip’s funeral ‘looking for a fight’. Harry also alleged that William and Kate urged him to wear his infamous Nazi fancy dress outfit. He cast his brother as his ‘arch-nemesis’; Queen Consort Camilla as a ‘wicked stepmother’ and Charles as an emotionally-stunted and ineffectual ‘old man’.
William and Harry have not spoken for months and currently have no contact. It was revealed last week that both William and Harry attended the funeral of their uncle Robert Fellowes, but witnesses said they didn’t see the brothers speak. They reportedly sat apart at the back of St Mary’s Church in Snettisham where the service for Eton-educated Lord Fellowes took place. Sources spoke of how the pair arrived ‘very discreetly’ and that you wouldn’t have known they were there.
According to The Mirror, friends of Harry have said he is determined to improve his relationship with his father, especially given his health problems. They claimed the Duke would still look for an apology from his brother if he were to represent the family in any way. Meanwhile, sources close to Harry, who turns 40 next week, told the that he is settled in California. They claim that Harry has an ‘amazing’ new set of friends in the United States and several projects on the horizon.
He is currently preparing for a trip to New York where he will take part in engagements connected to his various charities, including the Halo Trust and the Diana Award. The newspaper also revealed Harry and Meghan had parted company with another American PR adviser. Christine Weil Schirmer joined the Sussexes in 2020 as head of communications but left quietly late last year. She is the tenth staff member to have left the couple in three years and last month took up a job with PR giant Brunswick advising clients on reputation management.
Last month, it emerged that the Sussexes’ chief of staff Josh Kettler had suddenly quit his job after scarcely three months. ‘Harry is turning away from all sorts of Hollywood publicists and is seeking counsel from his old friends and associates,’ said a source. ‘He is clearly reaching out thinking, “I need to do something different because what I’m doing is clearly not working”. In short, he is rethinking the way he operates.’
Ending his rancorous feud with his brother William is not seen as a realistic goal, but last week this newspaper revealed that the King may be open to healing the rift with his youngest son, and had consulted with faith leaders as he explores the nature of forgiveness. At least one of the advisers approached by Harry is a trusted figure ‘from the old school’ known for loyalty and discretion.
One friend has already allegedly devised a strategy for how Harry might begin moving in UK circles again – even carrying out ‘very low-key royal duties’. A source said the friend ‘believes if Harry comes back to the UK with zero fuss, and does zero publicity and attends very mundane events, he could prove himself and win over the British public again. ‘He would have to accept, though, that he might be reduced to ribbon cutting for a long period. But it would give him purpose to work again.’ But the source said it would only happen ‘if certain members of the family could find it in themselves to allow it’.
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