“The King is keen for it to be a happy family occasion which will see members of the Royal Family come together for just over a week to discuss plans for the future and to unwind.”
The Royal Family will make their way to Balmoral after the castle closes down to the public on August 4 followed by the outer grounds closing on August 11.
“Mid-August has been pencilled in for the main arrivals while some members of the family could join a shooting event on August 12,” said the source.
“The Sussexes will not be part of that meeting but Harry may join the King at a later date when the Queen and the rest of the Royal Family have left. However, it’s highly unlikely given the current tensions.”
Since their departure from the Royal Family in 2020, dubbed Megxit, Harry and Meghan have made very few trips back to the UK, bringing their children over only once for the Platinum Jubilee.
Meghan, 42, has not been seen in the UK – other than for a stopover at Heathrow Airport en route to Kenya in May – since Queen Elizabeth’s state funeral in September 2022, having chosen to skip the Coronation in May 2023.
While Harry appears willing to reconcile with his family, especially in light of the news that King Charles and Princess Kate are battling cancer, Meghan is said to harbour deeper reservations.
Prince Harry made a brief visit to London for a private meeting with King Charles in February after learning of his father’s cancer diagnosis. Their quick 30-minute encounter at Clarence House ignited hopes of more family time this year, but it wasn’t to be.
Harry arrived in London for the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games in May and despite being only a stone’s throw from his father at Buckingham Palace, there was no meeting scheduled.
Prince Harry revealed in the ITV documentary Tabloids on Trial on Thursday night that the behaviour of the British tabloids and security concerns are the reasons why Meghan Markle won’t return to the UK.
Speaking to Rebecca Barry, Harry raised concerns that a lone attacker could target his family – including his wife and their two children – if they were to return to the UK.
Explaining his belief that certain narratives in the press pose a genuine threat to his family, Harry said: “All it takes is for one lone actor who reads this stuff to act on what they’ve read.
“And whether it’s a knife or acid, these are things that are genuine concerns for me. It’s one of the reasons why I won’t bring my wife back to this country.”
