King Charles is hoping the Queen's funeral will 'convince Harry and Meghan to accept the olive branch' offered by the family, a royal expert has claimed.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were seen in the UK for the first time since the monarch's Platinum Jubilee in June as the Royal Family reunited in grief.
They kept a step back during the Jubilee celebrations but were much more involved and in the public eye this time around as the whole world came together to pay tribute to the country's longest-reigning sovereign.
It's hoped that the couple's public involvement in the events of the last 10 days will show to them there is still a place within the family should they embrace the sense of duty and service bestowed upon them.
On healing tensions and rifts within the family, writing for the Mail, royal expert Richard Kay: "For Harry the breathtaking events of the Queen's obsequies can have left him in no doubt that unless he is prepared to accept the olive branch extended so generously by his father, he is in danger of being written out of the royal story.
"He must surely be reflecting, too, on how his brother William has offered reconciliation, standing or marching at his side for all the important events, from the lying-in-state to the funeral. He could so easily be restored to the heart of the family."
Harry and Meghan, who stepped back from royal duties in January 2020, were invited to Windsor by William, the new Prince of Wales, to greet mourners along the Long Walk at Windsor, which was swamped with crowds again yesterday as the Queen made her final journey and was buried alongside her husband, Prince Philip, in St George's Chapel.
The thousands that had gathered at Windsor some nine days ago were unaware Harry and Meghan would join William and Kate for the walkabout, but to many it sparked fresh hope that the fractions within the family could be fixed.
It was also clear there was an appetite from those gathered to see the pair back in public life. Meghan, for example, gave a hug to one star-struck well-wisher, while Harry was adorned with flower bouquets and took time to thank those who had stood for hours in order to pay their respects.
It's understood that William, heir to the throne, sent his brother a message off his own volition inviting them to the walkaround after claiming he would feel "uncomfortable" without him there.
Other reports suggest it was actually King Charles who stepped in to order his sons to reunite to remember the Queen.
Harry was also permitted by King Charles to wear his military uniform while the Queen's eight grandchildren held a sombre, 15-minute vigil as the late monarch lied in state inside Westminster Abbey days before yesterday's momentous state funeral.
He also joined the funeral procession but, unlike at the vigil, was not allowed to wear his military uniform and hence could not salute.
It was a stark message that he could be a part of this life should he want to but, ultimately, the decision must rest with him.
Both Harry and the new King have been distant from each other since his and Meghan's retirement from royal duties and their move to the US, compounded further by the couple's explosive interview with Oprah last year.
In the King's first televised address to the nation, however, Charles sent a very public message to the couple: "I want also to express my love for Harry and Meghan as they continue to build their lives overseas."
And while the royal family continue their grieving process behind closed doors, it's thought Charles is hoping the penny has dropped for Harry and Meghan.
The King, who has been keen to initiate a seamless transition and put his stamp on a role Queen Elizabeth made her own for 70 years, undoubtedly has a lot on his plate.
But he will be keen to fix the evident rift in the family and hopes that Harry and Meghan's involvement in the funeral and days of mourning will show there is still a place for them here in the UK.
Should Harry not accept this olive branch then they could be cast aside from the royal story, and a way back could be a tough feat.
"Charles's hope is that, having been so much part of the spectacular events of the past week and a half, his son finally realises that the qualities of duty and service celebrated in the national outpouring of heartfelt affection for the Queen are the true measure of popularity," added expert Richard Kay.
It's evident from Harry's moving tribute the impact that his grandmother had on his life and the close relationship they shared.
He thanked the Queen for her lifetime's service as he described her as "a guiding compass", adding: "We, too, smile knowing that you and grandpa are reunited now, and both together in peace."
Perhaps an indication of where Harry's head is at, a royal photographer claimed he may end up dropping his book deal to avoid costing his family, as the Daily Star reports.
The book deal with Penguin was said to be worth around £17million.
The photographer went on to add that there are two sides to the Duke of Sussex - a “private Harry and a public Harry” - in a recent interview on GB News.
He told viewers: “It’s great he’s back with the family and I was wondering what he was going through his mind whether he thinks...
“I mean there are two sides now completely, there is a private Harry and there is a public Harry.”
