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It has been well over two years since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle shocked the world by announcing their decision to step back from their roles as senior working royals. While the couple initially said they hoped to continue supporting the monarch in a limited capacity, it's become increasingly clear that a full break from the royal family was inevitable. Now living in California with their two young children, Harry and Meghan have embarked on numerous commercial ventures and launched attacks against the institution through interviews and memoirs.
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However, it seems Harry may now be regretting his choice to leave Britain behind. Recent reports indicate he has expressed a desire to return to the UK at least part-time and resume some royal duties. But it remains highly unlikely that King Charles and the Prince of Wales will welcome him back until several major issues are resolved. Multiple sources say William has made it clear there will be "no reunion" until Harry and Meghan apologize for past behaviors and accusations. With trust severely damaged, William understandably fears anything he says privately could be made public.
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The relationship between the brothers has reached an all-time low after years of tensions escalated following Harry's move. While Harry had originally demanded apologies from his family, it is now widely agreed the only ones who should apologize are he and Meghan. From inflammatory interviews to the upcoming tell-all memoir, the Sussexes have relentlessly attacked the institution and caused deep hurt to elderly family members in their final years. No level of contrition has yet been shown for these cruel actions, leaving little chance of forgiveness. With William focused on supporting his own young family alongside committed working royal duties, bringing Harry back into the fold seems almost impossible at this point.
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Complicating a possible return is the fact that Meghan almost certainly has no desire to ever set foot in Britain again. After facing years of negative press coverage and public hostility, she would likely be booed everywhere. This means if Harry did resume duties in the UK, he would face extended periods apart from his wife and children, something that may not be tenable. Observers note his marriage appears to revolve solely around Meghan's ambitions rather than a mutual partnership of support. From following her to California to playing a supporting role in her PR efforts, their relationship dynamic raises questions about cracks that may already exist.
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Indeed, there are troubling parallels to be drawn between Harry's situation and that of his great-uncle Edward VIII after he abdicated the throne. Like the former Duke of Windsor, Harry has essentially traded his place of immense privilege for a vague celebrity status in an unfamiliar country, surrendering what truly gave him an identity and role. His attempts to recreate a royal life in Montecito through fake tours and royal-style website branding only highlight how lost he has become without the structures that once provided fulfillment and confidence. As with the ultimately unhappy Duke, it seems Harry may be starting to regret throwing so much away for what he perceives as love, only to find his new situation far less glamorous than imagined.
As time marches on, Harry's irrelevance within the royal family also increases substantially. At nearly 40, his days as a playboy prince drawing fame are coming to an end. Moreover, all attention and focus is turning to the children of William and Catherine as the core working royals of the next generation. While Harry once enjoyed relevance through his place in succession, he now offers little of substance and seems only desperate to resume some semblance of importance. However, with so few trusting him after repeated untruths and betrayals, rebuilding any meaningful role will prove torturous, if even possible.
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Going forward, it is unlikely that either the King or the heir to the throne have any intention of rolling out the red carpet for Harry's potential return. The monarchy is moving forward under Charles' new vision with an emphasis on slimming down the institution. There is little appetite for accommodating a disgruntled family member who caused such deep pain. Of course, as a Christian man, King Charles may retain hope that the prodigal son returns with full remorse one day. But based on Harry's stubbornness and inability to apologize thus far, it seems he remains too wounded and distrustful to accept such an overture soon. All told, while Harry grasps for relevance, his years of true significance within the Windsors appear gone for good through choices of his own making. It remains to be seen whether any path back can be found through the ruins he has left behind.
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