Prince Harry is being “diplomatic through gritted teeth” as tensions with King Charles continue to rage over his and Meghan Markle’s status following their dramatic return to Britain, royal sources have told RadarOnline.com.
Harry, 41, and Markle, 45, moved back to the UK in late August after six years raising their children Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, in Montecito, California.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are settling in the Cotswolds while their children start school, but their homecoming has been overshadowed by a disagreement over Buckingham Palace guidance describing them as “private citizens.”
A source close to the Sussexes claimed: “Harry is just trying to be diplomatic through gritted teeth. He doesn’t want another public war with his father, particularly when the family has only just returned, but there is frustration about how this was handled and the language that was used. He and Meghan regard themselves as very public figures, even though they fully accept they are not working royals.”
The dispute followed a letter released to the media this week by the Lord Chamberlain, Charles’ most senior palace official, reaffirming the Sussexes’ position outside the working royal family.
Harry and Markle subsequently said they preferred to be described as “public figures” rather than “private citizens.”
They were also unhappy about the timing of the communication, having reportedly received the Lord Chamberlain’s letter just 72 minutes before it was made public.
Harry was said to have been in a meeting when the document arrived, leaving him approximately two minutes to read it before its release.
Another insider claimed: “The issue for Harry isn’t that he expects to return as a working royal – he knows the position on that. The irritation is that something directly affecting him and Meghan was released with so little opportunity for discussion. They felt they were being presented with a decision rather than being included in a conversation.”
Despite the disagreement, the Sussexes have emphasized that establishing their family in Britain is currently their priority.
Another source noted: “Harry and Meghan are very conscious that there is an enormous amount of noise surrounding their return, particularly after what has happened with the Palace this week, but they aren’t allowing that to dictate their immediate priorities.
“They have effectively uprooted their entire family and moved halfway across the world after six years in California. That isn’t something you accomplish overnight. There are schools to settle into, a new home to establish, and an entirely different rhythm of family life for Archie and Lilibet to become accustomed to.”
The insider continued, “Whatever frustrations Harry may have about the way the Palace has handled things, he and Meghan don’t want their children becoming caught in the middle of another public dispute. Their focus right now is giving Archie and Lilibet as much stability and normality as possible while they adjust to living in Britain.
“There will obviously be questions about Harry’s engagements, Meghan’s plans and exactly what their public life in Britain eventually looks like, but they don’t believe everything has to be resolved immediately. Those conversations can happen when the time is right.
“For now, they are genuinely pleased to be back. They want to get their feet under the table, allow the children to settle, and take everything else one stage at a time.”
Harry is nevertheless preparing to resume a public schedule, with engagements planned over the coming month for organizations and charities he supports, including the Invictus Games.
The Palace guidance has also become entangled in controversy surrounding the 2027 Invictus Games in Birmingham.
Uganda’s military chief General Muhoozi Kainerugaba said the country was withdrawing from the sporting competition because of “that Harry-Meghan nonsense.”
Kainerugaba added Uganda would “not participate in anything” that did not have Charles’ “approval.”
A royal source said Harry’s public restraint so far should not be mistaken for satisfaction with the situation.
They added: “Harry is acutely aware that the moment this develops into another full-scale public confrontation with the Palace, everything else he is trying to achieve risks being completely drowned out.
“He has returned to Britain wanting to concentrate on his family, his charities and the causes that remain enormously important to him. The last thing he wants is for every engagement to become another chapter in a running battle with his father and the wider royal household.”
The insider said, “That doesn’t mean he isn’t frustrated. There are aspects of what has happened that he feels very strongly about, particularly the way the guidance was communicated and the impression it has created about his position.
“But Harry also understands the consequences of responding angrily or saying something in public that escalates the situation. He has been through enough disputes with the Palace to know how quickly a single comment can dominate the headlines and turn into days or weeks of recriminations.
“So there is a conscious effort to remain diplomatic, even when that requires biting his tongue. He is choosing his words extremely carefully because he doesn’t want irritation behind the scenes to become another damaging public rupture with his family.”