Why 2025 was the worst year of their lives for Meghan and Harry

Harry’s protracted security battle added to the tension. In 2025, he lost his legal challenge against the British Home Office to restore automatic police protection.

Under the current arrangement, safety is assessed on a case-by-case basis, with 30 days’ notice required for visits to Britain. Harry has said he does not feel it is safe to take his children, Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4, to Britain without armed protection.

After the ruling, he told the BBC that the dispute had stopped his father, King Charles, 77, from speaking to him, describing the situation as a “foundation of the establishment”.

Relations thawed slightly later in the year when Harry and Charles met privately for tea at Clarence House. But tensions with his brother, Prince William, 43, remain unresolved.

A communications expert said Harry’s memorial letter hinted at a desire to return to his homeland, saying: “Harry grew up in an environment where humour, teasing and quick jokes were central to the way he interacted with people, and this was especially true of his bond with his brother William. Their relationship was forged through constant back and forth, jokes and shared language that came naturally from growing up side by side in the public eye.”

Harry misses the banter and pub visits he enjoyed in Britain and is desperate to return home. He also raised eyebrows by announcing a commemorative tour of Canada that clashed with William’s official visit to Brazil, prompting claims of a new royal war.

A royal expert said: ‘Taken together, these actions do not indicate someone who is genuinely motivated to rebuild bridges or interact constructively with his family. Instead, it comes across as impulsive and ill-judged, and ultimately feels irresponsible given the sensitivities involved.”