King Charles has warned Prince Harry their recent reunion was the Duke’s last chance to prove himself with the Royal Family – with a source saying “if they put a foot wrong again, that’s it.”
The Duke of Sussex brought his wife Meghan Markle and their two children Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, to Britain for the first time in four years, but the trip was overshadowed by several setbacks.
A close source has revealed the monarch issued his youngest son with an ultimatum during his trip to the UK earlier this month.
It’s understood Charles was “very pleased” to see his grandchildren, but made it clear his son and daughter-in-law were on thin ice.
“[He said] this is their absolute last chance,” a source told Closer. “If they put a foot wrong again, that’s it.”
“From now on, things happen on his terms, or not at all,” the source continued.
“Harry’s been told he needs to take a back seat and trust his father to handle things his way, in his timing, even if it’s slower than he and Meghan would like.”
It comes after a royal expert revealed the three letters that are at the heart of “reignited tension” between Harry and his brother William.
The estranged brothers did not meet during Harry’s brief return to the UK.
Relations between the once extremely close brothers have become increasingly strained since Harry and Meghan stepped down as senior royals in 2020, but tensions have heightened considerably after the Duchess used the term “HRH” in a commercial capacity earlier this year.
The initials, which stand for His/Her Royal Highness, are used by senior working royals and the Duke and Duchess agreed not to use the term in 2020 as part of the official Sandringham agreement negotiated between the late Queen Elizabeth II, then-Prince Charles and the Sussexes.
Earlier this year, businesswoman and close friend of Meghan, Jamie Kern Lima, shared a photo on Instagram of a gift basket from the Duchess.
The tag attached to the gift was signed from “HRH The Duchess of Sussex”.
Speaking to French outlet Paris Match, royal expert Stéphane Bern claimed the use of this term, in particular, has deepened the rift between Harry and William.
“These three letters have reignited tensions at the very heart of the monarchy,” he said.
Sources close to William said the Prince was left “deeply frustrated” by the move.