Prince Harry is counting down the days until he turns 40 next week and is reflecting on the relationships he has with friends and family as he prepares to hit the milestone age. Harry and his wife Meghan Markle are reported to be planning a “lavish” party to celebrate the prince stepping into a new decade, and while “a number of their A-list pals” are expected to be in attendance, it is not thought that any senior royals will be.
And the Duke of Sussex is now left wondering if it’s too late to mend relationships he fractured when he moved across the pond.
But a source tells heat many of the people from Harry’s past are wary of forgiving him with Meghan, 43, still in the picture. ‘Nobody would go so far as to try and push Harry away from Meghan per say, but the fact he’s still perceived as her personal puppy dog is the big reason William, Camilla and many others inside the Firm won’t budge an inch right now, despite his best efforts,’ we’re told.
‘Even his London friends are worried about the fallout that comes with being perceived as Team Sussex – not so much due to Harry but because Meghan is so resented and untrusted by all corners of British high society at this point. If Harry is lucky enough to build some bridges with his loved ones or old pals then he’d be wise to do so by himself, and not involve Meghan in any way. That’s just the reality he has to live with, as painful as it must be for him.’
People in Harry’s life are said to have been cautious of the effect Meghan has had on him since they stepped down as senior members of the royal family in January 2020, in a move dubbed “Megxit”, and the divide has only deepened since Meghan claimed she was “silenced” by the royal family and didn’t feel “protected” following their 2018 wedding. But Harry is hoping to show people that he hasn’t changed since meeting his wife.
‘For now, Harry’s goal is to remind people that he’s still the same person he always has been,’ our source says. ‘He knows he’s got a mountain to climb, as far as convincing certain people that they should give him the time of day, but by all accounts, he seems to be feeling pretty confident that he can do it. He’s accepted that it won’t be easy and will take time and effort but it’s worth it to him because he doesn’t want to be stuck out in the wilderness forever. His approach right now is to take it step by step.’
And it seems the father-of-two has a plan of action of how to get people back on his side.
‘First on the agenda is to make the rounds and prove to people that he’s still got his own voice and backbone, he’s not some puppet that says whatever his wife wants him to say all the time, which is the impression a lot of people have right now because he’s been so out of touch with everyone. He admits he’s pretty well exiled himself, so he doesn’t blame all these people for just believing what they’ve heard. But he’s now out to dismantle that narrative.
‘He’s trying to strike a balance between sticking up for himself, but at the same time, agreeing to compromise for the sake of getting back into the fold. Turning 40, he’s looking at life as a much bigger picture. Now he’s a father of two, and he’s got mouths to feed as well as his own, and he’s also very aware that time is ticking on.’
Another big factor of Harry’s reflection is said to be the ill health that’s affected his father, King Charles, and sister-in-law, Kate Middleton. The king announced his cancer diagnosis in February while Kate revealed hers in March. They have both made a part-time return to public life after undergoing treatment.
‘His father isn’t getting any younger and there are very real concerns that he could be a lot sicker than he’s letting on,’ our insider shares. ‘His friends are all getting on with their lives, and of course his sister-in-law’s had this hideous health scare, it’s very sobering and it’s got him determined to swallow his pride and do what he can to dig himself out of this mess.
‘It is a delicate situation because he’s still fiercely loyal to Meghan and protective of her and the kids, so it’s not as though he’s going to throw her under the bus or demand she be by his side in this when she’s made it clear she’s not comfortable being back in the U.K. with things as they are. He would love a scenario where she and the kids could come back with him, that is the ultimate goal, but that’s nowhere near possible now. First, he needs to ingratiate himself back in. If push comes to shove, he’ll absolutely stick up for his wife, he just won’t do it in such a defiant or foot stamping kind of way as he has in the past.
‘He does find it pretty tragic that so many people won’t give her any kind of a shot, but his hope is that when, and if, he’s accepted back into the inner circle, he’ll be able to convince people to let down their guards with Meghan too. He’s aiming to reconnect with people and see who’s open to some sort of dialogue. Yes, some will completely ghost him, he’s bracing for that, but he’s also hopeful that it may not be as grim as he thinks.
‘Of course, he knows that William still has a deep distrust for him, so he’s not even bothering to try that angle right now.’
Last week, William and Harry both attended the funeral of their late mother Princess Diana’s brother-in-law Lord Robert Fellowes, but did not speak or sit near one another. Something which Harry is not letting deter him. ‘He hopes that once he has enough people on side, they will help sway his brother and convince him that he deserves a chance to make things right, and so does Meghan.’