Queen Camilla will put King Charles III first as the royal family navigates Prince Harry’s return to the U.K., royal experts told Fox News Digital.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex returned to the U.K. on Aug. 26. Their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, will begin school in Britain in September.
Royal experts believe the king, who is still receiving treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer, wants a relationship with his grandchildren. Camilla, they said, is prepared to support her husband as Harry hopes for reconciliation with his family.
Before the Sussexes’ return, the king met with Harry, Meghan and their children at Highgrove House on July 10. Vanity Fair royal correspondent Katie Nicholl later reported that, according to sources, “not even the Prince and Princess of Wales were made aware that the meeting was taking place.” Camilla was present.
“Camilla has weathered far bigger storms than the Sussexes’ 2020 move, or Prince Harry’s book, ‘Spare,’” royal commentator Meredith Constant told Fox News Digital. “Camilla knows how to lie low when she needs to. She’s going to go through the motions and put on a good face for her husband as he works on his relationship with his younger son.”
“While Prince William and King Charles are not in lockstep over how to handle Prince Harry’s return, they understand that they are a unit with their respective wives,” she said. “William wouldn’t expect Camilla to take a stand against her husband anymore than Charles would expect that of Kate.”
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Royal biographer Tom Bower told the Daily Mail that Camilla approached her stepson with what InStyle magazine described as “an olive branch” — a “fixed smile” before she “offered him tea.” A source told Bower the meeting was “polite with no recrimination.”
“Albeit this was indeed a polite gesture, it was merely a tiny aperture being opened, not a welcome for any full return as senior royals at all,” British royal expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital. “It’s traditionally British to offer tea as merely a polite gesture. Camilla is dedicated to the king’s health and welfare, so it’s not surprising.”
Royal historian Catherine Mayer told People magazine that Camilla “is a non-negotiable part of Charles’ life,” adding, “there’s no reconciliation with [the king] without her.”
The road to reconciliation may be a lengthy one for Harry. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back as senior royals in 2020, saying they faced intense scrutiny from the British press and lacked support from the palace.
After moving to California, the couple aired their grievances in interviews and documentaries. Harry’s 2023 memoir, “Spare,” further strained his relationship with his family. Royal experts previously told Fox News Digital that Harry and his older brother, Prince William, haven’t spoken since 2022.
After “Spare” was published in 2023, Harry accused his stepmother of leaking private conversations to the media to burnish her reputation.
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In interviews, Harry accused family members of getting “into bed with the devil” to gain favorable tabloid coverage. He singled out Camilla’s efforts to rehabilitate her image with the British public after her long-running relationship with his father.
Camilla, who once faced widespread public criticism, eventually won over many royal watchers through her charitable work and support of the king. Charles was crowned in 2023.
“Yes, she was hurt by Harry’s unkind words,” British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard told Fox News Digital. “However, she is made of tough stuff and plays a vital role as King Charles’ steadfast partner, prioritizing his protection. Supporting the king through rigorous treatment and applauding his determination, Camilla’s desire is to ensure her husband’s [golden] years bring him peace, health and joy.”
“There is the fleeting thought that, despite Harry’s series of cutting jibes, Queen Camilla is reminded of a sad young Harry,” she said. “She is sympathetic to Harry’s deep-rooted problems. But their relationship is tricky.”
In 2023, Harry told “Good Morning America” that he and Camilla “haven’t spoken for a long time.”
“I love every member of my family, despite the differences,” he said. “So when I see her, we’re perfectly pleasant with each other.”
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“She’s my stepmother,” he continued. “I don’t look at her as an evil stepmother. I see someone who married into this institution and has done everything she can to improve her own reputation and her own image, for her own sake.”
In May 2025, Harry told the BBC that he wanted reconciliation, saying, “There’s no point in continuing to fight anymore” and “life is precious.” At the time, the prince said, “I do not know how much longer my father has left.”
A source told People magazine that Harry had been thinking about the move “for a while.” With Archie and Lilibet now school-age, the couple felt the timing made sense, the outlet reported.
As for Camilla and the rest of the royal family, royal experts expect them to keep calm and carry on.
“Members of the British royal family do not cause a scene,” Constant said. “If they want information out there, it will find a way to the papers. Camilla doesn’t need to say a word to get her message across. As long as her stepson isn’t interfering with her husband’s reign, it’s just business as usual.”
Chard said she believes Camilla is choosing to put her personal feelings aside and prioritize what is best for her husband.
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“Queen Camilla raced to the July 10 meeting at Highgrove in support of her husband, not for the love of Harry,” she said. “Camilla was a listening ear and offered the usual stability to her husband. Queen Camilla is interested in the best for her husband and the monarchy going forward.”
But not every royal appears to be on the same page about the Sussexes.
“Prince William, to date, has still had no contact with his wayward brother,” Fordwich said. “The imminent future looks rather awkward. If Harry and Meghan refrain from any public accusations, any monetization of royal contacts, and are discreet, William is likely to be more open to controlled conduct than any sort of reconciliation. Harry should take a page out of Camilla’s playbook to gain eventual trust and respect. Silence is golden.”
Kensington Palace, which represents the office of the Prince and Princess of Wales, told Fox News Digital that it does not comment on personal family matters. Fox News Digital reached out to Buckingham Palace for comment.
Details about the location of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s private, non-royal home and the children’s school are being closely guarded, People magazine reported. The outlet also reported that the king was made aware of their plans on Aug. 16 and welcomed the opportunity to see more of his son’s family “in a private and personal capacity.”
