Prince Harry was urged to make a major move regarding his father, King Charles, as he heads back to the UK today. The Duke of Sussex will return to his home country this week for the first time in five months. He will attend the WellChild awards and show his support for BBC Children in Need. He will also revisit a community recording studio in Nottingham.
Harry is set to attend a series of engagements and make a substantial donation to the broadcaster’s charity to support its work tackling violence against young people. It is not known whether the Duke, who is estranged from his brother, the Prince of Wales, and has a troubled relationship with his father, the King, will stage a reunion during his stay.
But according to a PR expert, Harry should ask a friend or a close family member to arrange a meeting with his father.
Eric Schiffer, chairman of Reputation Management Consultants, told Newsweek: “It’s vitally important for his feeling and his desire to have a real relationship with his dad.
“The challenge is there’s such a big trust gap that naturally is going to get amplified by all the players that surround both of them, that it creates this emotional hurdle.
“The only way he’s really going to make that happen is for you and I and everyone else to never know about it.”
Mr Schiffer said Harry would have to make his move “off the radar” if he really wants to meet his father, in what would be the first time the pair meet since February last year, when the King’s cancer diagnosis was announced.
The expert explained: “It has to be done in a back-channel way that is off radar.
“If he does that and he’s sincere about it and he’s consistent and he’s emotionally mature, I think there’s a way for him to rebuild a relationship, but the onus is on him to build and show that he can maintain and respect the privacy of the king and his confidence.”
He added: “I think the way to get this done is going to be different than through palace aides. You have to find some relationship that Harry can count on, and that will trust Harry to deliver for them, to put their capital with the king.
“It will need to be done through family or a very close personal friend of Charles who Harry still has a relationship with. Doing it through palace aides is not the way to get this done because it then has the potential to invite others and then the king naturally is going to be protective.
“He doesn’t want to look foolish. Harry’s going to need to deliver and to feel emotionally ready to deliver.”
