Prince Harry wrote his father, King Charles, a “deeply personal” note before he returned to the UK for his grandfather, Prince Philip’s funeral

Prince Harry wrote his father a “deeply personal” note ahead of his homecoming for Prince Philip ’s funeral. The Duke of Sussex reached out to his father Charles after their relationship “hit rock bottom”, as he prepared to see his family for the first time since quitting royal life in 2020.

But Charles was “very hurt” by Harry’s decision to appear in a tell-all interview with US chat show queen Oprah Winfrey, while the Duke of Edinburgh was seriously ill in hospital. Sources close to the Duke of Sussex – who lives in California with wife Meghan and their children Archie and Lilibet – told how he has been “forced to write letters” to his father due to a “complete communication breakdown”.

In his correspondence he has “outlined his reasons for leaving” while promising to “respect the institution”, sources have revealed. Harry, 36, made the sensational claim that a member of the family commented on how “dark” his unborn children would be, while Meghan alleged the family refused to help her when she was feeling suicidal while pregnant in the bombshell Oprah interview.

Harry told Oprah his father and brother were “trapped” by the institution and couldn’t leave if they wanted to like he had done. Palace insiders revealed both future kings were “outraged” at the suggestion. A royal source said: “Truth be told, Harry didn’t really know what to expect before he came home, which is why he reached out before seeing everyone.

“He wrote a deeply personal note to his dad to try and set things straight but tensions are still running high and things haven’t exactly ironed out the way he had hoped. There had been a kind of unspoken agreement between everyone to park whatever has been on each person’s mind, and solely concentrate on supporting the Queen ahead of Prince Philip’s funeral.

“The feeling inside the camp was that it wasn’t the time nor the place to go over things, especially at such an emotional time for everybody involved.” One palace insider said Charles was hoping to see his son again after Philip’s funeral but Harry told him he wasn’t sticking around.

It has now been reported that Harry and Meghan could be on the verge of a U-turn after it was claimed the Duke of Sussex had reached out to his brother William. The Duke of Sussex is said to have contacted William in the hopes of “calling a truce” after he made a series of bombshell claims against his family. Harry and William are thought to be involved in a bitter feud, with Harry claiming William once left him terrified during a row.

Despite the drama, royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams believes it would be the wrong idea for the couple to return to the Royal Family as it could leave them “humiliated”. “This would be one of the most bizarre events in royal history if they did return after all the attacks. It would be a humiliation for Meghan and Harry,” he said. “The idea that after everything that has happened that Meghan and Harry could just walk back in is beyond extraordinary.”