King Charles is ‘firmly of the opinion’ that Harry cannot return as a working royal despite wanting to repair the relationship with his estranged son

Claims that Prince Harry could return to royal duties were dismissed as the king made a public appearance in church yesterday.

Sources say His Majesty ‘firmly believes’ there is no way back for the Duke of Sussex as a working royal ‘in any capacity’.

Insiders insist this doesn’t mean Charles, 75, isn’t open to mending his relationship with his estranged youngest son in the future.

But this is seen as something very different from Harry being invited to professionally support the king during his battle with cancer.

It is believed that Prince William also shares this view – although Kensington Palace has made it clear that his focus is on returning to work after taking a break to care for his wife following her surgery last month.

Speculation was rife this weekend after The Times claimed the Duke of Sussex is willing to return to a ‘temporary royal role’ to support his father during his illness.

Harry, 39, has been encouraged by “warm conversations” between himself and the king since his father’s cancer diagnosis was revealed earlier this month, it was suggested.

The prince had told friends he would like to “take on a royal role while his father is ill”, it was said.

A ‘royal insider’ said ‘on all practical levels it makes perfect sense for the family to come together to support the King while he is ill’, adding: ‘The feeling is that this arrangement could work.’

But well-placed sources have dismissed this completely, saying it is incorrect to suggest discussions on the issue have taken place, even at an informal level.

Sources say Charles, the Prince of Wales and the rest of the royal family are in ‘solid agreement’ on the terms of the so-called ‘Sandringham Summit’.

At this meeting, in January 2020, the late Queen made it clear that her grandson’s desired ‘half-in, half-out’ approach was unworkable.

She insisted that Harry must give up his royal ties and promised not to trade on his royal connections if he insisted on making business deals abroad. A source said: ‘The terms of the deal were very clear and nothing that has happened recently, including the King’s illness, has changed that.’

Another source added: ‘Have the King and Harry spoken? Yes. Does this mean a return to the fold, even on a temporary basis? No.’ Apart from a small number of investitures, the king does not plan to transfer a large number of duties to other family members while he receives treatment, another source said.

If he needs his family to step in, any additional duties can easily be fulfilled by William.

His Majesty looked cheerful as he attended church at the Sandringham estate with Queen Camilla and waved to well-wishers.

He has spent recent weeks at his estate in Norfolk, returning briefly to London during the week for medical treatment and meetings.

At the weekend it was also claimed that royal aides ‘blocked’ Harry from joining the king at Sandringham when he made a 25-hour visit to Britain to see his father in early February.

Staff feared “they would never get rid of him,” the Sun reported, and instead invited him to a 45-minute meeting at Clarence House.

But a source pointed out that Harry had an engagement in Las Vegas the day after returning to the US.

In an interview with Good Morning America, Harry said he was glad he visited Britain to see his father.

The prince, who left for Vancouver, Canada, with his wife Meghan last week for an Invictus Games celebration, said he would return to see him again as he has other trips to Britain planned, and he ignored the does not suggest that there could be a rift in his family. be healed by the crisis.