Harry ‘seeking counsel’ from old friends amid claims of UK return

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, has reportedly been in talks with his former royal aides. Photo / Getty Images
A source has made a surprise claim just months after talk that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle could be looking to split their time between the United Kingdom and America.
Just yesterday, it was revealed Prince Harry made a quiet return to the UK to attend the funeral of his uncle Lord Fellowes, placing him in the same room as his brother, Prince William, for the first time this year.
Now, speaking exclusively to The Mail on Sunday, an inside source has claimed that the father of two has been in touch with people “from his old life” to “rehabilitate” his image.
Having allegedly grown upset with the advice he is receiving from his image experts in America, claims suggest Harry is looking to devise a new strategy to transform his current reputation.
“Harry is turning away from all sorts of Hollywood publicists and is seeking counsel from his old friends and associates,” the source said.
“He is clearly reaching out thinking, ‘I need to do something different because what I’m doing is clearly not working’. In short, he is rethinking the way he operates.”
The news outlet has reported if the prince goes ahead with the alleged plans, he would need to spend more time in his homeland and be seen to be repairing his relationship with not only his father, but the royal family.
Sources claimed Harry has been speaking with multiple people from his days as a working royal including a loyal and discreet person “from the old school”.
Another alleged contact has reportedly devised a plan that would see the prince partake in “very low-key royal duties”, believing that “if Harry comes back to the UK with zero fuss, and does zero publicity and attends very mundane events, he could prove himself and win over the British public again”.
The source continued to say simple duties like ribbon-cutting ceremonies would “give him purpose” to work as a royal once more, but claimed it would only come to fruition if Harry’s key family members “could find it in themselves to allow it”.
Harry’s UK friends have reportedly ruled out a reconciliation with his brother, Prince William.
Despite the bombshell claims, sources reportedly told the publication that Harry, Meghan and their two children, Prince Archie, 5, and Princess Lilibet, 3, will not relocate to the UK on a permeant basis.
It comes after royal expert Tom Quinn claimed the prince is “bored” and could be seeking a return to the UK.
“Harry is increasingly bored and looking back across the Atlantic where most of his army and school friends still live,” Quinn told the Mirror in July.
He continued to say distance isn’t the only reason Harry didn’t see his childhood friends, adding, “they won’t visit him in the States because they find Meghan difficult”.
Harry and Meghan left the UK in 2020 after announcing they were resigning from royal duties in order to build a life with more privacy.