There’s no doubt that the last few years have been a rollercoaster for the Royal Family and, last week, the country feared that more bad news could be yet to come after King Charles was taken to hospital after suffering from side effects of his on-going cancer treatment.
And while the King, 76, has slowly returned to duty this week, it’s clear the resilient monarch still continues his health battle after reportedly being advised by doctors to postpone two holidays he had planned this year.
Meanwhile across the pond, a source tells heat how Prince Harry is desperately concerned over his father’s health.
An insider says, ‘Knowing his dad was so bad he had to be hospitalised is incredibly worrying for Harry. He’s beside himself and panicking that things will take a turn for the worse before they can make peace with him.
‘No matter what has happened in the past, he still loves his father. Seeing him struggling and being thousands of miles away and not able to help is breaking his heart.’
‘Harry’s desperate to fix things with his dad before it’s too late.’
Now the source says Prince Harry, 40, who lives with wife Meghan Markle, 43, and their two children – Archie, five, and Lilibet, three – in the exclusive star-studded enclave of Montecito, is desperate to return to the UK with his wife by his side.
The insider says, ‘The idea that his dad could pass away before they’ve made amends is soul-crushing and he’s determined to do everything in his power to make sure that won’t happen.
‘He’s pleading with Meghan to come back with him as soon as possible. He’s desperate to be there and to see his dad and he wants her by his side.’
The Sussexes first stepped down from their role as senior working royals in 2020 to start a new life in the States.
But just a year later, the pair shocked the world when they laid bare a litany of accusations – including bullying and racism – against the Royal Family throughout their explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey in March 2021.
Harry’s memoir, Spare, added further salt to the wound in 2023, when he detailed Meghan’s falling out with her sister-in-law Kate Middleton and the physical altercation he had had with his brother Prince William over his relationship with Meghan.
And now the source says Harry’s family are still yet to forgive him, with William and Camilla – who Harry compared to being like a ‘wicked stepmother’ – trying to protect Charles from any more upheaval.
The insider says, ‘Harry has been calling home to try and at least speak to his dad but so far, he’s getting stonewalled which makes it that much tougher. He feels like his only option is to get over there in person and push his way in.
‘Certainly, Camilla and William, and many other courtiers, would rather he stay away. But he’s not going to let them block him from seeing his father.’
But the source says Meghan is being just as reluctant to make amends with Harry’s estranged family.
However, while her relationship with the royals undoubtedly remains strained, the source adds that Meghan is also concerned that her presence after so long away could cause more harm to an already fragile situation.
The source says, ‘Only time will tell if Meghan softens her stance on returning to the U.K. Fact is, she has very serious reservations about it, and not only from a personal standpoint.
‘She’s genuinely worried that accompanying Harry could do more harm than good. It would undoubtedly become a media circus, and her fear is that it could undermine the entire point of the trip.’
But the source says Harry believes that Meghan making the effort to fly into the UK will go a long way to show that they both still care deeply about his father.
The source adds, ‘If he has to go back on his own, he will, but he’s convinced that having Meghan with him will make it a whole lot easier. He keeps reminding her of the wonderful relationship she used to have with Charles.
‘Despite where things are now, they were actually very close at one time. Charles even stepped in to walk her down the aisle when her father pulled a no show to the wedding.
‘Things have obviously deteriorated drastically since then, but Harry believes a face-to-face visit from Meghan could do wonders to melt the ice and break down the walls that have been put up.’
Harry has returned to the UK for several trips in the past few years – for royal events such as the late Queen’s funeral and the King’s Coronation, as well as to attend events for the various UK charities that still remain close to his heart.
However, insiders have reported that both William and Charles have been actively avoiding Harry during his visits to the UK, with Harry meeting briefly with his father after his cancer diagnosis in early 2024.
Now the source says Harry has admitted to Meghan that he feels isolated on his trips to the UK and that her joining him would be a huge support, as well as a shoulder to cry on.
They add, ‘He’s prepared to feel very much alone when he goes back. It's very obvious to everyone, Harry included, that he's not very welcome.
‘He understands that it will take a lot of strength on her part but he’s hopeful that she will see things from his perspective and agree to make the trip with him. Truth be told, he wants her there for emotional support as much as anything.’
The source adds, ‘Despite all the arguments, and all their differences, at the end of the day he wants his dad to know he is there for him and the only way to make that happen is to go there in person, even if it’s just for a little while.
'He would love more than anything to have Meghan with him when he makes the trip. But, even if she doesn’t come with him, he will go. He’s just waiting on the nod from his father’s office.’