Prince Harry's hopes of striking a balance between his royal duties and his life in California appear to have been rejected, with King Charles III reportedly refusing any "half-in, half-out" arrangement.

Sources close to the palace say the King is holding firm to Queen Elizabeth II's earlier decision that members of the royal family must either serve full-time or step back completely.

One source told the Daily Mail that "the King is a forgiving man but has been absolutely clear in upholding his late mother's decision that there cannot be 'half-in, half-out' members of the working royal family."

Charles and Harry's Brief Reunion

Harry recently spent four days in the UK, his first extended visit in over a year. During the trip, he met privately with his father at Clarence House for under an hour, where he reportedly showed Charles photos and videos of his children, Archie and Lilibet.

While some speculated that the visit hinted at reconciliation and possible duties ahead, royal aides downplayed the idea, stressing that the monarchy's focus remains on the King and Prince William, supported by other full-time working royals.

"Whoever is behind [the Sussexes] seems to have mistaken a brief tea and a slice of cake for the Treaty of Versailles," one source said.

It was suggested by royal observers that the monarch's views any compromise as a threat to the stability of the institution, particularly when recent events have reinforced his commitment to keeping only working members at the heart of the monarchy.

No Return to Royal Duties

Per The Sun, royal historian Hugo Vickers has assessed that Harry's presence often brings media scrutiny, making any flexible arrangement incompatible with the King's desire to protect the monarchy's reputation and fairness to others, including taxpayers.

"As for half in, half out, no, that's not going to work," the expert explained.

In January 2020, Harry and Meghan decided that they would no longer be working senior members of the royal family.

After that, they moved to Montecito, California. When they made the decision via Instagram, they stated that they had "chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution."

Despite the firm stance from the palace, Harry's camp has signaled that his main focus remains on his father.

A spokesperson told Page Six, "The Duke has made it clear that the focus, as it relates to his family, is his father — beyond that, and on any other issues as it relating to the Royal family, we won't be commenting."

Still, Harry's time in London included lighter moments. At the WellChild Awards, he spoke with singer Joss Stone about the value of British schools and community for children, adding fuel to speculation that he may still want some ties to his homeland, even if not through royal work.

Tags
Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, King Charles