King Charles urged to bring Prince Harry, Meghan Markle back into fold: expert
Royal broadcaster Ian Pelham-Turner argues King Charles must take action to bring Prince Harry and Meghan Markle back into the royal fold amid family tensions.
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Several royal experts believe Prince Harry is making a “big mistake” that could ruin his chances of reconciling with his family.
In his first major interview since returning to the U.K. with his family, the Duke of Sussex told GQ he wants to make peace with his father and brother. However, royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told Fox News Digital that Harry’s willingness to publicly discuss his strained family relationships only makes the royals more reluctant to extend an olive branch.
“The peace offering is already undermined as it is public,” said Fitzwilliams. “That continues to be his big mistake. He cannot be trusted. [The Sussexes] had already launched brutal attacks on the royal family [with their tell-alls]. Family disputes are bitter. But numerous interventions from ‘friends’ and interviews like Harry’s in GQ make this highly unlikely.”
PRINCE HARRY SAYS ‘MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO RECONCILE’ WITH ROYAL FAMILY
Prince Harry sat down with GQ for an interview recorded in New York in late September 2026 and published Oct. 20. The Duke of Sussex spoke about grief, the death of his mother, Princess Diana, fatherhood, his family’s return to the U.K. and his desire to reconcile with his father, King Charles III, and brother, Prince William.(2026 Max Mumby/Indigo)
Speaking about the family rift, Harry told GQ: “Some people don’t want it to work out. I want it to work out. With everything else that’s going on in the world, the most important thing is to reconcile — that’s the key point.”
“Scars stick around forever,” Harry continued. “But what your perception is, and what your mindset is to those things that have happened, letting go of the past. That’s something that I would encourage everybody to do: If there’s certain things from the past that are still affecting you every day, that’s harder to let go of. But, for me, there’s enough drama in the world and enough drama in people’s lives to continue with issues with family.”
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, arrives for a visit to the Community Recording Studio in St. Ann’s on Sept. 9, 2025, in Nottingham, England
Harry also told GQ that he has been “really criticized” for sharing his side of the story.
WATCH HERE: KING CHARLES URGED TO BRING PRINCE HARRY, MEGHAN MARKLE BACK INTO FOLD: EXPERT
“I find it fascinating because everybody else is allowed to tell their version of my story, but God forbid I should be able to tell the other side of it.”
Royal broadcaster Helena Chard told Fox News Digital that although Harry may yearn for reconciliation after years of the Sussexes publicly airing their grievances, “the palace doesn’t trust Harry and Meghan.” Chard said Harry’s decision to speak publicly “proves Prince William’s fear — anything said in private will end up in print.”
Prince Harry’s book “Spare” seen displayed in a bookstore on Dec. 16, 2023, in Bath, England.(Matt Cardy/
“Vindication on Megxit and absolution without apology do not equate to reconciliation,” Chard added.
Prince Harry told the BBC in 2025 that he’s ready for reconciliation.(Samir Hussein/WireImage)
Fox News Digital reached out to Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace for comment.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back from their roles as senior royals in 2020, citing intense media scrutiny and a lack of support from the palace. After moving to California that year, the couple discussed their struggles in interviews and documentaries. Harry’s 2023 memoir, “Spare,” further strained his relationship with the royals. Several experts told Fox News Digital that Harry and William are still not on speaking terms.
Office workers in London watch the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s “Harry & Meghan” docuseries on Netflix on Dec. 8, 2022.(Jonathan Brady/PA Images
On Oct. 15, the Sussexes attended a series of charity events in Nottingham, marking their first major joint outing since their reported return to the U.K. The appearances drew attention from royal experts, many of whom compared them to official royal engagements.
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Meghan, Duchess of Sussex during a visit with Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex to Nottingham on Oct. 15, 2026, in Nottingham, England.(Samir Hussein/WireImage)
In January 2020, Queen Elizabeth II made clear following the Sandringham Summit that there would be no “half in, half out” role for the Sussexes. They couldn’t remain working members of the royal family while pursuing independent, income-generating ventures.
“Following conversations with the duke, the queen has written confirming that in stepping away from the work of the royal family it is not possible to continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement on Feb. 19, 2021.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle returned to the U.K. six years after leaving for California
In response, the couple issued a statement of their own, saying: “We can all live a life of service. Service is universal.”
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, poses for a selfie with well-wishers after a visit to Community Recording Studio in Nottingham, central England, on Sept. 9, 2025.(POOL/AFP
Shortly after the couple returned to the U.K., Buckingham Palace released a letter from the Lord Chamberlain, written on behalf of King Charles III, stressing that there was “no change” to their status. The letter stated that Harry and Meghan are “no longer working members of the royal family” and that their charitable work “is a personal matter for them both and undertaken in their private capacity.”
“In short, their position is akin to private citizens with commercial and charitable interests,” the letter added.
Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, arrive at the Endeavour Fund Awards at Mansion House in London on March 5, 2020. Soon after, the couple moved to California.(Justin Tallis/AFP)
Aon of the couple as “private citizens.”
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Prince Harry is seen here during a visit to Himmah Hub during the couple’s visit to Nottingham on Oct. 15, 2026, in Nottingham, England.(Annabel Lee-Ellis – Pool/
“They are public figures,” there. The idea that they can live a normal, ‘private’ life is sadly not realistic.”
Another friend of the couple told The Times that Harry and Meghan “hate” the phrase “working members of the royal family.”
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex are seen greeting members of the public at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia on April 17, 2026, in Sydney, Australia.(Cameron Spencer/
“‘Working members of the royal family’ is a really lazy phrase,” the friend told The Times. “He hates it, she hates it. They are not ‘working’ for the institution, but they are members of the royal family, and they work.”
From left: Queen Elizabeth II, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex watch a flypast marking the centenary of the Royal Air Force from the balcony of Buckingham Palace in London, on July 10, 2018
The friend said the Sussexes also dislike the term “former royals.”
“Things like Nottingham aren’t done in the name of the institution or the crown, but Harry is the son of the king, he is still a member of the royal family, he’s just not a member of the institution. It’s misleading to call them ‘former royals.’ It has an impact on how they’re perceived and the way people talk about them.”
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle meet well-wishers during a visit to Reprezent 107.3FM in London on Jan. 9, 2018. The “Suits” alum became the Duchess of Sussex when she married the British prince later that year.(Samir Hussein/WireImage/
A friend of the Sussexes told Hello! magazine that Harry and Meghan never agreed to the late queen’s decision to prohibit a “half in, half out” arrangement.
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Duke and Duchess of Sussex, leave a service of thanksgiving for the reign of Queen Elizabeth II at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London on June 3, 2022, during Platinum Jubilee celebrations marking the monarch’s 70 years of service.(Matt Dunham – WPA Pool/
“It doesn’t trouble them,” the friend said. “They never agreed they wouldn’t be half in, half out. That was what was decided and foisted upon them.”
“They’re just living their lives and they can, because they’re financially independent,” the friend added.
Meghan Markle attended a special screening of the documentary “Cookie Queens” in Los Angeles.(Eric Charbonneau/Roadside Attractions
Fox News Digital reached out to Archewell for comment.
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex during a visit to Himmah Hub during their visit to Nottingham on Oct. 15, 2026 in Nottingham, England. The Sussexes are still non-working royals who are financially independent.(Annabel Lee-Ellis – Pool/
British royal expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital that former palace courtiers were appalled by the unidentified friend’s remarks.
“Harry publicly declared he’d accepted the agreement with his grandmother, the queen,” Fordwich said.
Prince William, Prince of Wales, Catherine, Princess of Wales, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex leave after escorting Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin to Westminster Hall from Buckingham Palace for her lying in state on Sept. 14, 2022, in London.(Emilio Morenatti – WPA Pool/
Royal broadcaster Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital that the royal family, often referred to as “The Firm,” made “a mistake” by not allowing the Sussexes to resume their royal duties and support the king.
King Charles III delivers a speech during the ceremonial opening of the seventh Senedd in Cardiff, Wales, on Oct. 15, 2026.(The Welsh Parliament
“Harry and Meghan are not private citizens — this was decreed by King Charles in the letter created by the Lord Chamberlain which, in my view, was humiliating for the couple,” Turner said.
“What that means is that Harry and Meghan can do whatever they want right now. … It just goes to show at the moment that whoever is advising the royal family [is] constantly making mistakes. Because if they really wanted to control Harry and Meghan, they would invite them back so that they can be part of the royal family and could actually control what’s going on.”
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex visit Epic Partners during their visit to Nottingham on Oct. 15, 2026, in Nottingham, England.(Joe Giddens – Pool/
“Yet the same accusations are levied against Meghan and Harry when they apparently have decided to do an event for themselves in Nottingham,” Turner said. “What is the difference? I ask. Because, in reality, they are allowed to do whatever they want to do now to actually promote their charities and good causes.”
King Charles III meets guests during a reception to celebrate the Commonwealth Diaspora ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua and Barbuda at St. James’s Palace in London on Oct. 14, 2026
Fordwich also suggested there was a “divide” between King Charles III and Prince William over how to handle Harry’s return to the U.K.
“The divide is as follows: The king craves family united, keeping the door open and aiming to facilitate some sort of way back, while he is though completely united with Prince William that the Sussexes will never again represent the royal family,” Fordwich explained.
Prince William, Prince of Wales, and Catherine, Princess of Wales, visit The Commons, a project transforming a church into a self-sustaining community centre, during their visit to Northern Ireland on Oct. 9, 2026, in Belfast, Northern Ireland.(WireImage)
“Obviously, from both his actions and words, Harry is rather desperate for reconciliation,” she said. “But with every public statement and action, rather ironically, he’s actually thwarting any remote chance now of even a familial thawing.”
PRINCE HARRY RISKS ‘LOBBING A GRENADE’ AT PRINCE WILLIAM AS CHANCE TO HEAL YEARSLONG FEUD EMERGES: EXPERT
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, watch a flypast to mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force from the balcony of Buckingham Palace on July 10, 2018, in London, England
Fordwich doesn’t believe Harry will reconcile with his family anytime soon.
“Writers of ‘The Crown’ must be sitting with pens poised at this now ridiculous situation escalating,” Fordwich said. “Although Harry and Meghan wish to build proper bridges, the king apparently refuses to even discuss the subject.”
