King Charles has made it “absolutely clear” that Prince Harry will not be allowed to resume royal duties in a part-time capacity, despite their recent reunion in London.

The 76-year-old monarch and his son, 41, met earlier this month for private tea at Clarence House. It was their first face-to-face interaction in 19 months, sparking speculation that relations between the pair might be softening. Some royal watchers suggested the meeting could pave the way for a new role for Harry within the institution.

But insiders have firmly dismissed that possibility. “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,” a palace source told the Mail on Sunday. One insider dismissed talk of a royal reset, saying, “Whoever is behind those reports seems to have mistaken a brief tea and a slice of cake for the Treaty of Versailles.”

Harry stepped down as a senior royal in 2020 and moved to California with Meghan Markle and their two children. Since then, he has built a new life away from palace structures, signing multi-million-dollar media deals and continuing his work with the Invictus Games. According to a source close to him, any discussion about returning to official duties was “put to bed years ago,” adding, “The duke has made it clear that the focus has to be on his dad.”

While the reunion at Clarence House was seen by some as a gesture of goodwill, others argued it was as much about optics as reconciliation. Royal commentator Ingrid Seward called the meeting a “massive PR move,” claiming Harry needs the association with his father to maintain his relevance. “Harry needs the stardust of his father. His earning power is related to who he is. Without being the royal he is, Harry would not be interesting to anyone in California,” she told The Sun.

She suggested Harry’s commercial work, including Netflix deals, makes visibility crucial. “This is a big, big PR push. Harry was finally all smiles and charm, reminiscent of himself of old,” she said.

Notably absent during Harry’s visit was his brother, Prince William, who is reportedly taking a much firmer line in the ongoing family rift. Royal author Valentine Low said on GB News: “William is very different from his father. I think essentially, William is very aware of what he regards as mistakes his father has made. He’s not going to repeat them.”

Harry has hinted at wanting to spend more time in the UK and told The Guardian that his recent visit “brought that closer” with regard to one day bringing Archie and Lilibet back to see his homeland.