The Brutal Reality Harry Must Face if He Ever Wants to Go Home Again: ‘Not Rocket Science’
Prince Harry’s latest trip to the UK has once again drawn attention to the same old conversation: whether there are any signs of thaw with his estranged family, who happen to be the King and the King's heir apparent. While the visit is tied to another legal battle, it has, like always, reopened questions about how seriously he is committed to repairing strained relationships at home.
Writing for The Mirror, Royal Editor Russell Myers pointed out that this has become a recurring theme. “Prince Harry being on home soil and not having time to visit his family is a familiar tale,” he wrote. According to Myers, the Duke is in London to fight “the latest in his long roster of court cases” against Associated Newspapers, alongside figures including Sir Elton John. Despite being in the country, there are no plans for Harry to meet either his father or his brother. “I am told [he] has no provision in his busy schedule to arrange to see his father or his brother,” Myers added.
And the royal diary on the other side makes it all the more difficult. This week, the King, Queen, and the Prince and Princess of Wales are carrying out official engagements in Scotland, around 500 miles away. The scheduling ensures there will be no overlap, accidental or otherwise, during Harry’s time in the UK.
Myers argues that this ongoing focus on legal action is at the heart of the problem. Harry continues to pursue multiple cases against the press and the Government, including his long-running fight over security arrangements. While the Duke has spoken publicly about wanting reconciliation with his family, Myers suggests those words ring hollow while the court battles continue. “Harry’s calls for reconciliation with his family … will unfortunately for him go unanswered while he continues to be engaged in such matters,” he wrote.
In Myers’ view, the situation is not complicated. If Harry truly wants to rebuild relationships, he believes the path forward is clear. “If Harry does indeed want to reconnect with his loved ones, then frankly speaking, it’s not rocket science – he must drop the litigation and repair the damage from leaving the Firm,” he said.
Myers, almost sarcastically, described Harry as a self-styled “dragon slayer” and pointed to what he sees as the Duke’s victim mentality. He wrote, “While this is not unfamiliar territory, it is telling that the confessed ‘dragon slayer’ remains focused on fighting the British press and the government, who he feels have wronged him at every turn.”
Myers further noted that Harry has, both privately and publicly, urged the King to step in and help him “slay the dragons” he believes have wronged him — only to be told, unsurprisingly, that he is on his own. Myers adds that it is only when there is a reduced sense of agenda from the Duke, and a willingness to engage on terms other than his own, that his family — all still dutifully committed to their royal roles — will be able to take him seriously.