The thing to keep in mind as you read any British press coverage or commentary about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex is that the press and royal institution believes that all charity work is inherently “royal” and that Harry cannot seek private reconciliation with his father without desiring a public role. That’s the way these people think: that Harry working privately with charities is “royal work” and that his meeting with his father is clearly about Harry wanting “to come back” to a public role. So, with that in mind, there was a hilarious story in the Mail on Sunday: Harry and King Charles are in talks to bring Harry back in some kind of public role, likely a half-in situation. The Mail’s sources claimed that Charles and Harry were tentatively planning to do some kind of public appearance together, and Harry wants to do more “public events” in the UK. A source claimed: “Harry’s visit to the UK was not about trying to show up or compete with his brother – in fact, the opposite. It was to remind William that Harry can be there to take some of the load off, given some of the criticism William has received for carrying out a lower number of engagements than his father. That doesn’t need to be as part of the “working” Royal Family. It can just be doing what he loves to do and does best – supporting causes close to them both, such as the Diana Award and conservation.” Well, that story hit Prince William like a ton of bricks, and led to this hilariously unhinged and huffy rebuttal:

Prince Harry will never be allowed to return as a ‘half-in, half out’ working royal – and claims he could ‘take some of the load off’ his brother, Prince William, are ‘wide of the mark’. Insiders reacted angrily on Sunday night to briefings by sources apparently close to the Duke of Sussex that his recent meeting with King Charles, at the end of what his team believes was a hugely successful charity trip to the UK, signalled a ‘thawing of their relationship’ and the ‘acceptance’ of his family ‘back into the royal fold’.

Harry now apparently plans to return to Britain ‘four or five times year’ for ‘public events’, both for his own charitable initiatives and, potentially, in support of the Royal Family. Referring to the briefings, however, a royal insider told the Daily Mail: ‘Whoever is behind them seems to have mistaken a brief tea and a slice of cake for the Treaty of Versailles.’

It is also clear there are fears that some in ‘Team Harry’ may be using this month’s ‘baby step’ forwards in the broken relationship between father and son to, perhaps sinisterly, drive a wedge between the King and his elder son and heir. They have repeated unsubstantiated claims that ‘tensions’ are brewing between the King and Prince William over the apparent lightness of his workload. One royal insider said: ‘These syrupy briefings from supposed Sussex sources are precisely why The King and Royal family are so hesitant to embark on any road to rapprochement. If the intention is to encourage a rebuilding of trust and relationships, they serve the precise opposite effect.

‘As last week’s State Visit clearly demonstrated, the power and impact of the modern monarchy lies in the unshakeable bond between The King and the Prince of Wales, supported by other working members of the family.’

And in what will be widely interpreted as a warning shot across the bows of those pushing a ‘pro-Harry agenda’, a well-placed royal source told the Daily Mail firmly: ‘The King is a forgiving man but has been absolutely clear in upholding his late mother’s decision that there cannot be “half-in, half-out” members of the working Royal family.’

The suggestion that Harry has both a ‘royal household’ and ‘courtiers’ of his own has prompted snorts of surprise here, not least because the prince has made abundantly clear in his numerous attacks on the institution that he sees the whole ‘court set-up’ as at the epicentre of his issues with his family. The newspaper also said it had been told that Harry agreed to keep a ‘low profile’ during President Trump’s visit as a ‘goodwill gesture’ to this father – another claim that has been met with much rolling of eyes.

However sources have told the Daily Mail that the latest attempt to put a publicly positive spin on what remains an incredibly delicate situation was ‘entirely predictable and woefully inflated’.

They suggest that Harry’s desperation to rebuild a bridge he chose to burn down on leaving Britain is understandable, but ‘owes more to hope than reality’. They have not ruled out ‘occasional private family meetings’ like the one that took place earlier this month, describing them as ‘possible’ – although it is also understood that none are currently planned. But as for any kind of public role alongside the Royal Family, even as a ‘non-working royal’? ‘Absolutely not,’ sources insist.

A source close to Harry on Sunday night insisted, however, that the issue of whether he would return to royal life was ‘put to bed years ago’, that he is ‘very happy with his life in California’ and ‘very happy just visiting the UK as and when to support his patronages and causes’. They insisted that there was no plan for him to work for, or alongside, the Royal Family and that wanting to reconcile with his family privately was a different matter.

A spokesperson said: ‘The Duke has made it clear that “the focus has to be on his dad”, beyond that, and on any other issues as it relates to his family, we won’t be commenting.’

[From The Daily Mail]

My interpretation is the same as ever: Harry has publicly and privately expressed his desire to visit the UK more often and eventually bring his children over for a visit. The unspoken implication being “Harry wants Charles to spend some time with Archie and Lili before his father dies.” Harry also wants to be able to visit the UK for charity work, as he did two weeks ago. This is Harry’s agenda, and one which he has spoken of quite openly, while also saying openly that he’s happy in California, Montecito is his home and he has no desire to go back to “royal work.” So what was all of this about? William. William throwing multiple tantrums, William panic-briefing and rage-briefing. If you ask me, this is also Charles yanking William’s chain repeatedly and using the specter of “Harry could come back and overshadow you” to light a rage-fire under William’s ass.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.