20 February 2024 , 07:00
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King Charles' slimmed-down monarchy looks slimmer than ever with several key players currently unable to carry out duties.
The monarch himself has cancelled all foreseeable public engagements as he receives cancer treatment, while the Princess of Wales is out of the public eye until at least Easter as she recovers from abdominal surgery. It begged the question, would Prince Harry, who sensationally quit as a working royal in 2020 return to the fold?
Reports say the Duke of Sussex is willing to step into a temporary royal role while his father undergoes cancer treatment and has told friends he would slide into such a role.
Harry with his father King Charles and brother Prince William (Getty Images)It comes after Harry suggested the King’s illness could lead to a reconciliation with his father in an interview with a US breakfast show. However, just over a year ago in a TV interview with the same show - Good Morning America - Harry gave a very telling answer about any return to royal life. It came when he was being interviewed by host Michael Strahan last January while promoting his controversial memoir Spare.
When asked if he and Meghan could return as working royals, he immediately said: "No. I don't think it is ever going to be possible." He added: "Even if there is an agreement, or an arrangement between me and my family, there is that third party that is going to do everything they can to make sure that isn't possible. Not stopping us going back, but making it unsurvivable."
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Meanwhile, further reports have claimed that Harry will not be allowed a temporary royal role with the arrangement he accepted when stepping down as a working royal alongside Meghan in 2020, reportedly set to remain in place. A source told The Telegraph: "Those terms were quite clear, and the King’s illness hasn’t altered that." Another told the newspaper that the view a hybrid model of being a working royal was not appropriate still "remains the case".
It comes as Prince William has also told pals there is no chance Harry will be allowed back into the royal fold. The Prince of Wales is so angered by his brother's continued attack on the monarchy that he will block any of his bids to return to The Firm. Sources close to William say that in the wake of King Charles’s cancer diagnosis, he would be the one to take on more duties himself if needed while it is understood he believes Harry and his wife Meghan "cannot be trusted".
The source said: "Whatever has been discussed between William and the King is private, but it is absolutely and categorically clear that he (William) would not allow Harry to return. He thought it was a bad idea at the time and he’s even more clear now.
"If anyone is going to take on more duties it will be William and that isn't even on the agenda for now. His main focus is on his father's health, his family and what is best for the monarchy. There is a zero per cent chance Harry is coming back in any capacity."