‘Time is running out’ for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on deciding whether or not they want to have some involvement with the British royal family.

It’s time for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to make a big move. The clock is ticking on any sort of connection to the British royal family. If the Duke and Duchess of Sus𝑠e𝑥 want to, a commentator says it “needs” to happen soon.

‘Time is running out’ for Harry and Meghan to return to royal life in any way

According to royal commentator Richard Eden, Harry and Meghan have to get the wheels in motion on going back to royal life. If, of course, that’s something they want. Why? Because, as he told Palace Confidential, “time is running out to come back while his father is still King” (via Daily Mail).

Harry has a relationship, albeit a very fractured one, with King Charles III. Whereas he and his brother, Prince William, the heir to the throne, haven’t spoken in years.

Harry and Meghan have lived in Montecito, California, since leaving royal life in 2020. Prior to that, however, Harry was “central” to royal plans, at least during his grandmother Queen Elizabeth II’s reign.

“We saw that at Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012, where it was just Harry and his brother, [Queen] Camilla, and Charles. And, of course, the queen,” Eden said.

“Charles thought that when Harry had a family, they would be carrying out engagements and sharing those duties with William. So, I think time is running out. If Harry wants to come back at any stage, he needs to do it while his father is still King.”

He noted that the Prince of Wales would likely be much more hesitant to allow Harry back than their father.

“I really think that when Prince William is King, I can’t see him letting Harry come back and have a role again,” the commentator said. “They are irrelevant now. They are just not wanted as part of the monarchy. Maybe there could be some radical change, but it’s hard to see.”

Harry and Meghan reached out to Kate before Trooping the Colour

The Duke and Duchess of Sus𝑠e𝑥 reportedly contacted Kate before her first public appearance of the year at Trooping the Colour. Kate joined William and their children at the king’s annual birthday parade on June 15, 2024.

“Both Harry and Meghan have been following Kate’s recovery with huge interest,” a source told Closer. “But sadly it’s had to be more from afar because their lines of communication with the palace and the Waleses, in particular, are very limited, to say the least.”

“They have had enough information to know that people are excited about the idea of a comeback for Kate,” the continued. Additionally, Harry and Meghan are “both relieved and happy to hear that she’s on the mend and may soon be well enough to return to her duties.”

Whatever Harry and Meghan said, it wasn’t met with enthusiasm. “They’ve jointly reached out to send well wishes, but they’re still not really in a place with Kate to warrant much of a response,” the insider said, adding that it “hasn’t stopped them from trying to connect.”

“When Kate gets back into action, their hope is that it might take some of the heat off them and possibly trigger a truce with her and William, and with the King, too,” the source said.

Previously, Harry and Meghan released a brief statement about Kate’s health following the 42-year-old’s cancer diagnosis announcement.

Harry doesn’t see a return to royal life for him and Meghan

Going back to life as working royals doesn’t seem likely to Harry. Speaking to Good Morning America’s Michael Strahan in 2023 around the time of Spare’s release, Harry shared his skepticism regarding a U.K. return.

“Is there a part of you that can see you and your family going back to the U.K. [and] becoming working royals with the monarchy?” Strahan asked.

“No, I don’t think it is ever going to be possible,” Harry said. “Even if there is an agreement or an arrangement between me and my family, there is that third party [the British press] that is going to do everything they can to make sure that isn’t possible.”

“Not stopping us going back,” he clarified, “but making it unsurvivable.”