King Charles ready to invite Harry and Meghan to ‘One Last Christmas’
He has confirmed he will scale back treatment in the new year after his disease was diagnosed early and amid what aides described as a positive response to medical intervention.
Against that backdrop, debate has grown over whether the monarch will extend an olive branch to his estranged youngest son, Harry, 41, his wife, Markle, 44, and his grandchildren, Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4, after years of bitter division within the royal family.
A key royal source said the king’s mindset has changed after what they described as a vibrant year for the monarchy.
The insider claimed: “An invite to Prince Harry isn’t completely out of the question if the king really wants to spend time with his immediate family. There has always been a sense that the emotional door has never been fully closed.”
“After such a turbulent year, especially given the King’s health and the lingering fallout from dealings with Prince Andrew, it is understandable that Charles would want this Christmas to have a deeper meaning,” the source added.
“And despite his positive messages about cancer, he knows that if things worsen, this could be his last Christmas.”
Another royal insider said: ‘There is a growing sense that the king is guided more by his own mortality than by royal protocol.
“Some believe this could be the last Christmas he feels well enough to bring the whole family together, which is why there is quiet speculation that he wants to bring Harry and Meghan back in, even if just for a short time.”
In May, Harry publicly stated his desire to reunite with The Firm. Speaking to the BBC, he said he would “like to have reconciliation” with his family, especially in light of his father’s health struggles.
However, sources warn that the rift between the royal exile and his older brother, Prince William, 43, remains unresolved.
One claimed: “The truth is that the tension between Prince William and Prince Harry has not yet been resolved.”
Others remain skeptical.
A senior palace aide told us the Sussexes’ presence at the traditional royal holiday party could overwhelm the occasion.
They added: ‘It would inevitably be a major distraction if the Sussexes were present. Even a brief appearance would dominate headlines and risk overwhelming what is meant to be a private family celebration.
“The overriding fear is more controversy at the worst possible time. There is still a deep unease about trust, and many in the family fear that private moments could become public again.”
Charles spoke directly about his health in a recorded message broadcast on Friday, December 12, as part of a campaign to promote early cancer screening.
“Early diagnosis simply saves lives,” Charles said at the time. “I also know what a difference it has made in my own case, allowing me to continue living a full and active life even while undergoing treatment.”
Reflecting on the past 22 months, he added that the fact that millions of people were unaware of screenings in Britain concerned him deeply.
“That’s at least 9 million opportunities for early diagnosis that are being missed,” he said.
Charles highlighted the grim survival statistics, noting that when bowel cancer is caught early, “around nine in 10 people survive for at least five years”, compared to “only one in 10” when diagnosed late.
Palace officials stressed that the king should not be assumed to be suffering from colon cancer, saying the disease was discovered during treatment for an enlarged prostate.
Since announcing his diagnosis, Charles has resumed his public duties and used his experience to raise awareness.
When he visited a cancer treatment center last year, he told a patient as they were being given chemo drugs through an IV: “It’s always a bit of a shock, isn’t it, when they tell you.”
