Prince Harry may be in the U.K. this week arguing his joint case against Associated Newspapers (who publish the Daily Mail), but a full-time return is unlikely at this point — even if he wanted to — according to one royal expert.
As you probably know by now, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex relinquished their senior royal roles in 2020 in favour of a new life as private individuals in Montecito, Southern California.
Since then, the couple's relationship with the rest of the Royal Family has not been particularly positive — particularly in the aftermath of their Oprah interview and their various media projects, including the Duke's shock memoir Spare.
"It seems clear to me that Harry has no interest in reconciling with his family. He’s got a new life now, it’s completely different and he can’t go back. There’s no possibility that he’s going to come back to Britain and lead a normal life here," Andrew Larman, author of The Windsors at War, said on the Royally Us podcast (via Express).
"While we’re speaking, he’s in Britain at High Court but none of his family members are seeing him. That’s quite telling. Apparently, he tried to see King Charles but Charles said he was too 'busy.'"
The King was meant to be in France this week (this trip was postponed due to social action), and he made a trip to Germany, so he was indeed fairly busy — but still, it's true that if he were on good terms with Harry, he would probably make more of an effort to see his own son.
Meanwhile, the Palace was once again in Harry's line of fire this week as he gave his witness statement in court.
He said: "The institution was without a doubt withholding information from me for a long time about NGN’s [News Group Newspapers] phone hacking and that has only become clear in recent years as I have pursued my own claim with different legal advice and representation."
Prince Harry has joined forces with a group of other public figures — including Elton John and Elizabeth Hurley — in taking legal action against Associated Newspapers, whom they have accused of alleged "abhorrent criminal activity and gross breaches of privacy."