Prince Harry Offered to Return to Royal Life — But a New Rule Now Bans Him From Serving King Charles

Prince Harry ruffled a lot of feathers in 2020 when he stepped down from royal duties with his wife, Meghan Markle. Though he is still a part of the line of succession, the Duke of Sussex can no longer officially step in for his father, King Charles. His move to the U.S, along with formal agreements tied to his exit, has reportedly ruled him out of any responsibilities reserved for senior working royals.

Amidst rumors that Harry offered to ‘step in’ for his father, Charles, given his cancer diagnosis, a recent report suggests that it's highly unlikely it will ever happen. According to the Daily Express, if the monarch is temporarily incapacitated or absent from the UK, designated Counsellors of State are appointed to help. These individuals are authorized by Letters Patent to carry out official duties on behalf of the monarch. On November 21, 2022, the House of Lords saw Lord True present the second reading of the Counsellors of State Bill 2022-23. He pointed out the additions in the second reading, which stated that, from now on, only “working members of the Royal Family will be called on to act as Counsellors of State.”

Based on the new rule, though Harry and Prince Andrew currently hold the titles of Counsellors of State, they cannot officially assist the King. The role of the Counsellor of State is first bestowed upon the spouse of the sovereign, followed by the first four in line who are over 21 years of age. Dr Craig Prescott, a lecturer specializing in constitutional law at Royal Holloway, told The Times, “The point of adding this statement that only working royals would call on to act as Counsellors of State was a way of dealing with the situation in the simplest way possible.” He added, “It might have been viewed as malice against Harry otherwise, so in many respects, it was the most elegant way to do it.”

Before the changes in the bill, Queen Camilla, Prince William, Harry, Andrew, and Princess Beatrice served under these auspices. BBC reports that the legislation was swiftly passed through Parliament to sidestep an ‘awkward constitutional issue.’ The issue surfaced when Charles ascended the throne, following Harry and Andrew's exit from royal roles. After Charles was diagnosed with cancer in February 2024, he reportedly relied on Anne and Prince Edward for support.

While the revised Counsellors of State Bill excludes Harry from stepping in for Charles, there's another reason that reportedly bars him from doing so. Royal author Tom Quinn first claimed that the Prince had offered to take on a temporary royal role during his visit to the UK to meet Charles. Quinn explained to The Mirror, “The family no longer trusts him and, besides, Meghan is absolutely against it. There is far too much bad blood now for it to be even a remote possibility.” An insider also told The Telegraph that the late Queen, the King, and William think that a hybrid model of working royalty will not be appropriate, thereby removing any possibility of Harry stepping in.