Prince Harry ‘willing to return to a temporary royal role to support King’
Prince Harry is reportedly willing to return to a temporary royal role to support his father during his cancer battle, it is claimed.
Sources told The Times, the Duke of Sussex and the King have had several “warm exchanges” since the monarch received his cancer diagnosis earlier this month.
Prince Harry is understood to have told his friends that he would step into a royal role while his father is unwell,
Although the prince is a counsellor of state, he is non-working royal – meaning he is is not expected to stand in for the King if he his not able to perform his duties.
In a bid to heal the rift between him and his family, Harry is said to be focused on reconciling himself with them.
The King is also understood to want to see more of his son and a source said there was a growing sense that a rapprochement would “benefit” the monarchy.
The reports comes after Prince Harry travelled to the UK and met with his father at his Clarence House residence the day after his diagnosis was made public by Buckingham Palace on 5 February,
A royal insider said: “On all practical levels it makes perfect sense for the family to come together to support the King while he’s sick. Much has been said on both sides in recent years, but that has never diminished the fundamental bond of blood, and there are now pragmatic aspects to consider, with the King and Kate’s wellbeing paramount in this.
“The details of the Clarence House meeting and subsequent conversations are private, but the feeling is that this arrangement could work.”
Today Prince Harry suggested to US morning programme Good Morning America (GMA) that his father’s diagnosis could “reunify” the Royal Family.
In what was his first television interview since his father’s illness was revealed, he said he loves his family and was “grateful” to be able to spend time with his father last week.
Prince Harry said: “The fact that I was able to get on a plane and go and see him and spend any time with him – I’m grateful for that.”
Host Will Reeve asked if the King’s illness could bring the family back together, and pointed out that in his experience illness can have a galvanising or a sort of reunifying effect for a family.
Harry replied: “Absolutely. Yeah, I’m sure. Throughout all these families I see it on a day-to-day basis, again, the strength of the family unit coming together. I think any illness – any sickness – brings families together.”
In an interview yesterday to mark the countdown to the Invictus Games, Harry said: “I love my family. The fact that I was able to get on a plane and go and see him and spend any time with him — I’m grateful for that.”
After receiving his diagnosis, the King personally called Prince Harry and his other son Prince William, as well as his siblings the Duke of York, the Princess Royal and the Duke of Edinburgh, to share news.
During his appearance on GMA, Prince Harry confirmed that he learned of his father’s diagnosis by speaking to him directly.
He added: “I jumped on a plane and went to see him as soon as I could.”
