Prince Harry Is Using His Wife and Children as Pawns to ‘Revalidate’ Royal Status, Claims Expert
With their Netflix deal in the rearview, an expert warns the Sussexes are "reaching the end of the road" in Hollywood.
Adding fuel to an already volatile topic, royal author Tom Bower has accused Prince Harry of being ‘desperate’ to use his children — Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet — as a tool to ‘revalidate’ his standing within the monarchy. This scathing assessment suggests that by pushing for prominent media appearances for his kids, the Duke of Sussex is attempting to force a reconciliation with King Charles and the rest of the Royal Family. These claims come amid reports that the Prince is seeking a summer invitation to Sandringham to visit the monarch — a move Bower notes is less about family healing and more about professional survival.
In an exclusive interview with the Daily Express, the royal author argued that the Duke is using his wife, Meghan Markle, and children as tools to save his waning image. “I think Harry is desperate to use Meghan and his children at the Invictus Games in July to revalidate his royal status and is grasping at the sick King for that purpose,” he stated. The timing of these reports is particularly sensitive, as King Charles continues to manage his health, having reduced his cancer treatment schedule as of early 2026. Yet questions remain regarding Harry’s legal battle over his taxpayer-funded security while in the UK, as well as whether the monarch will officially lend his support to the 2027 Invictus Games in Birmingham. Bower contends that without the royal seal of approval, the Sussex brand is floundering.
This isn’t the first time the royal author has suggested the Sussexes are reaching a breaking point in their post-royal careers. He highlighted that the couple’s Hollywood appeal is curdling, following an explosive Variety report detailing significant strains in their $100 million Netflix partnership. While the deal officially concluded in September 2025, recent reports suggesting a possible feud between the couple and the streaming giant have shocked industry experts and royal watchers alike. “The Sussexes are reaching the end of the road in Hollywood,” Bower argued, noting that “their behaviour, lack of original talent and suffocating self-importance has made it even more important for them to return to Britain in July, meet the King and be revalidated as royals.”
The royal author warned, however, that the door to the Firm may remain firmly shut due to their past ‘betrayal.’ “That option, I believe, will be denied to them. They face an increasingly tough future. That's the price of betraying the Royal Family since Megxit,” Bower told the outlet. While he gave a blistering critique of the Sussexes, Harry and Markle have not taken the allegations lying down. A spokesperson for the couple issued a brutal rebuttal, accusing the author of seeking “deranged conspiracy and melodrama.” While the couple was quick to refute his claims, the sentiment of distrust is echoed by those close to the Palace.
A friend of King Charles recently told the Daily Mail that the public nature of Harry’s attempts at reconciliation is currently the biggest barrier to the reunion, adding, "If Harry truly wishes to see his father, he would do well to encourage his supporters to allow such matters to be discussed privately."
