Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have encountered yet another setback as bookmakers unveiled their slim odds of returning to Royal duties this year, estimating their chances at a mere 0.1%.
Since their departure from Royal responsibilities and relocation to the US in 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have maintained a strained relationship with the royal family. Their series of explosive revelations and interviews, along with the Netflix documentary series "Harry and Meghan" and Harry's upcoming memoir, as well as connections to individuals critical of the monarchy, have fueled ongoing tensions.
Despite speculation of a potential reconciliation prompted by Prince Harry's swift return to the UK following King Charles's unexpected diagnosis in February, discussions surrounding the monarchy's streamlined operations suggested the possibility of the Duke's involvement in Royal engagements during his father's cancer treatment. However, experts at casinos.com cast doubt on Harry and Meghan's return, predicting that they're unlikely to resume their royal duties in the UK.
The couple's odds of returning this year were placed at 1,000 to 1, ranking even lower than Prince Andrew's odds of 9 to 1. Column Feelin, an oddsmaker at casinos.com, commented, "We anticipate that despite Harry's willingness to assist both King Charles and Prince William, they will decline to reinstate him and Meghan."
Meanwhile, the odds of Harry appearing at the next major Royal event, the Trooping of the Color in the summer, are just 9 to 1 or 10%. Elsewhere, the hypothesis that Prince Harry will be removed from the line of succession by Prince William received one in three odds, equating to a 75% probability, while Meghan enrolling Prince Archie in a private school received odds of one in 100, or a 99% probability. The experts also suggested that The Duchess might share untold stories from her time within the firm on a new podcast, after she struck a new deal with Lemonada Media, with odds of 95 or 35% probability.
Prince Harry reportedly reached out to Prince William before his visit to the UK following King Charles III's cancer diagnosis, but the Prince of Wales purportedly rebuffed the Duke's apparent attempt at reconciliation. The future King's astute maneuver reportedly thwarted Harry's aspirations of rejoining the royal family. Reflecting on the situation, royal biographer Katherine Mayor remarked to People, "The familial strife remains a raw wound. There exists a profound fracture."
The recent UK visit saw minimal interaction between the royal siblings, with a former courtier revealing to the outlet that the Prince of Wales's primary concern is his wife, Catherine, who's recuperating from abdominal surgery at home. During his 24-hour visit, Harry spent just 30 minutes with his father, with suggestions that Queen Camilla intentionally joined the meeting. A source close to the Royal household lamented, "It would be customary to visit your sister-in-law after a serious operation and spend time with your nieces and nephews, yet it's far from ordinary. It's deeply regrettable."
Royal biographer Ingrid Seward stated that while King Charles hopes for Harry's return and reconciliation with William, he acknowledges the improbability of such a reunion now. It's reported that Harry regretted laying bare the secrets of the royal family in the bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey. Author Tom Quinn revealed that Harry didn't expect such a negative reception to the tell-all interview and was ashamed of the move.
"Harry does regret the Oprah interview because it didn't produce the result he and Meghan wanted," he said. "Their friends encouraged them to think the world would want to hear that truth, but instead they were widely mocked and criticized and cut off completely by the royal family." Tom continued, "Harry actually misses his family for all of their faults. He stuck himself onto a toito with not very much to do and no way back to the only life he knew until he met Meghan."
