Harry wants to come back and ‘help’

[Gottseidank]

Harry “is willing to return to a temporary royal role in support of his father during his illness, sources have revealed. In an attempt to help heal the rift in the family, the King and Prince Harry are said to have had several “warm ­exchanges” since Charles ­received his cancer diagnosis.
The duke is now understood to have told friends that he would step into a royal role while his father is unwell.”

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/prince-harry-return-royal-role-king-charles-cancer-dn8tcm8nd

Agree with this

he needs to take the long route back to relationship with his family, anything seen as performative or involving an interview afterwards is not going to work. Otherwise it does just look like opportunism.

If there is going to be a modernisation with more relatable minor royals taking on some part time duties, I think many people would prefer the Tyndalls and Wessexes rather than Harry sweeping back in.

I’d say even a Balmoral visit is unlikely because it would provide more opportunities for them to blab about the RF.

Ten minute audiences are likely to be the limit from now on.

@Lockupyourbiscuits a maybe one deal would be, Harold comes back but gives up Invictus to xx (Mike Tyndall?). What does he come back to? To follow instructions and keep his mouth shut, cut ribbons here and there and that's about it.

This will never happen of course, any deal they come back to would be such a worse deal from what they ran away from 😅

Does anyone know what the source for this is? Being the Times makes it seem more like a deliberate leak than something a hack's just made up, but some clarity would be good before getting too excited

It's a bit of a difficult situation all round and I'm not sure who has the upper hand really.

The RF are in a bit of a predicament re engagements with too many elderly/sick/disgraced royals currently. In ten years time the problem will be worse unless William accepts his children will have to hit the ground running at 18 playing a prominent part in royal life.

I don't think he wants this at all and as much as he is angry and 'done with' Harry now preventing his children having to take a very public role early in life might turn out be Harry's trump card.

That said I can't see the British public being accepting of Harry getting the half in/half out deal he wanted in the first place and splitting his time between here and the US. I think that will also remain untenable for the palace too.

There's a chance that H&M could be rehabilitated as minor royals but they would have to come back to the UK full time and eat humble pie for about a decade. I don't think there is a chance that Meghan will ever come back but if the marriage doesn't last it's possible Harry might.

If William takes the throne in the not distant future I think a slimmed down version consisting mostly of him, Kate and the children will be popular and well liked but his children will not be able to have the extended young adulthood both he and Harry enjoyed.

That might not be the worst thing even though William probably wouldn't see it that way. There's a balance to be found between privacy to grow up and being a bit directionless well into your 20s and 30s waiting for the moment you are asked to step up.

@Theunamedcat

Which side do you think is leaking?

I don't if it's true but Harry I believe would offer to help out. I believe so because he has a big giving heart despite the press and despite the family's dysfunctional history.

😂😂😂😂

Things might have turned out better if Charles had more than 2 children. The William/Harry generation is missing a Princess Anne character. 😁

You do wonder which side leaked - if the Palace to get it done with that this won't happen (or test the waters publicly), or Harold's camp to build the ground.

The tabloids must be salivating and looking for the next chapter in the saga 😅

This is the problem with hereditary power (even what is left of it) - you get a dumb Prince and a stupid wife in the family and you are toast. So the whole situation just accelerates the process the monarchy is already in.

🐷 might ✈️

His dash to see his father was seen as attention seeking because he chose to release a statement to the Press saying he was immediately travelling to see him, and briefed the press on his departures and arrivals so he could be photographed.

The attention was caused by him.

Had he simply travelled and not broadcast the fact I would have zero issues.

I can't see what the Palace gain from pushing this narrative.

And the article seems to be insinuating the source came from the Sussex side - which makes sense looking at their recent activity (the photos of Meghan cooking which being back memories of her work with Grenfell as a Royal, the new website).

The phrasing in the article is also pointed: "Duke of Sussex approached for comment", "Buckingham Palace declined to comment". Seems pretty clear who's more willing to talk.

edit to correct quotes

The palace would have no need to ‘test the water’ on this issue - the public’s opposition is a given

The Royals would be incredibly naive to allow him extended access to them, given his readiness and propensity to exploit private information for content and attention.

It appears that he's realising that he's boring, and that since he's now exhausted his family's content potential, lucrative deals are unlikely to continue flowing his way.

Could mean financial problems.

.

The whole situation just accelerates the process the monarchy is already in

Works for me, @Coronateachingagain, and anyway since they're running out of members to do the work what's wrong with cutting most of the fluff and having a very low key monarchy if we have to have them at all?

I appreciate there are plenty this wouldn't suit, but they can't exactly magic up more recruits and having Harry back hardly seems sensible for anyone, even if this latest carry-on was true

In any case he's only one "body" - though he makes enough fuss for ten - so what would really be gained beyond more clickbait for the media?

Yes, exactly. Other countries which have retined monarchies tend to have scaled-back versions. That's probably the future for ours.

Harry is the last thing that's needed.

Yes quite. We have a ceremonial Head of State with absolutely no say or power. I dont know much about the Irish President, but does he have to draft in his children and grandchildren to help him do his job? I would imagine he does a lot more than the King as it is, without the hundreds of fawning servants.

We have a ceremonial Head of State with absolutely no say or power

As events have shown they actually have a great deal of both, but at least with just a few "doing the job" there'd be fewer of them at it

Lol makes me laugh all the I need to be home with my wife and kids and so I'm stopping all work as they come first...oh wait celebrity event yes I'll be right there....

Quite funny really.

William usually attends the BAFTAs and they usually happen fairly near half term, which he takes off to be with the children.

People are of course free to disagree with him taking the school holidays off but this is an annual juxtaposition and nothing to do with either illness or Harry as far as I can see.

He's attended the BAFTAs for the last decade at least. Because he's President of BAFTA and has been since 2010.

He's going in that role, not because it's a celebrity event. He's promoting British Film & TV worldwide. It's his job as President.

So what's your point?

Why not have Beatrice, Eugenie, Louise & James be working royals for a bit until the Wales kids are old enough. I honestly think the monarchy is doing too much anyway. They’re supposed to be figureheads.

Do they? Seems like they have a lot of power to influence government and state institutions into doing what they want but for the benefit of the country, not so much. Yes they may have some diplomatic power but even then that backfires ( Jamaica).