According to well-placed insiders, the Duke of Sussex is planning to return to the UK for crisis talks at the request of his grandmother, the Queen.
In a final attempt to privately resolve a “complex family matter”, New Idea understands the 94-year-old monarch reached out to Harry, 36, and made it crystal clear that he needs to be present for the emergency summit at her Sandringham estate.
“The Queen wants to get to the bottom of this once and for all,” spills a palace insider.
Harry’s secret trip back to London comes after TV host Gayle King leaked details about a private phone call between Harry and William just days after the Sussexes’ bombshell tell-all with Oprah Winfrey aired.
“I did actually call them to see how they were feeling,” Gayle, who is one of Meghan’s closest confidantes, told her viewers. “It’s true, Harry has talked to his brother, and he has talked to his father, too. The word I was given was that those conversations were not productive.”
Gayle’s decision to disclose the information on a public platform – presumably with Harry and Meghan’s permission – was the final straw for the royal family, who were already feeling “deeply distressed” by the couple’s latest accusations against them.
Of Meghan and Harry’s need to air their dirty laundry in public, royal expert and author Anna Pasternak tells New Idea: “It is appalling and completely self-indulgent. The whole family will be feeling exposed and uncomfortable.”
Close friends say William, 38, was genuinely shocked to learn his conversation with Harry had made headlines.
Palace advisers have since ordered that, moving forward, all royal communications with the Sussexes must be monitored internally.
“Harry and Meghan have been placed on the ‘high-risk’ communications list and the family have been warned that every single conversation, text and email with the couple or their associates will be recorded.
“This is to legally protect them from any more false claims. No-one in the family is under any doubt that everything they say will be on CBS with Gayle the next morning, so they’re taking extra precautions,” reveals another source.
The last time the Queen called a summit with senior members of the royal family was shortly after Meghan and Harry announced they would be stepping down. So will Her Majesty’s efforts at peace talks end well?
“Prince Charles will attempt at a reconciliation, which unfortunately falls short for Harry as Meghan is very much a part of Harry’s decisions,” predicts royal psychic Sally Morgan.
As for the Queen and Harry, Sally believes their relationship will go unchanged.
“It will always be Harry that calls his grandmother. She will always take his calls. The Queen is an excellent diplomat and never gives anything away – even to [her] nearest and dearest. She is in a calm position while chaos reigns around her.”