Expert Says Harry Must Rely on Personal Ties to Reconnect with the King

Prince Harry’s latest trip to the UK has stirred up yet more headlines after reports confirmed he will not be meeting King Charles during his four-day visit. The Duke of Sussex has been in Britain to attend the WellChild Awards and support the Children in Need initiative, but speculation quickly turned to whether father and son might use the opportunity to reconnect.

That question seems to have been settled for now, and it has prompted some blunt advice from a reputation expert. Eric Schiffer, chairman of Reputation Management Consultants, spoke to Newsweek about the situation and how Harry might handle things going forward.

He didn’t hold back, saying plainly, “I think the way to get this done is going to be different than through palace aides.” According to Mr Schiffer, if Harry is serious about rebuilding his relationship with the King, he will need to rely on trusted personal connections rather than going through official channels.

“He will have to find some relationship that he can count on, and that will trust Harry to deliver for them, to put their capital with the king,” he explained. In his view, the best approach would be through “family or a very close personal friend of Charles who Harry still has a relationship with”, reported the Express.

The reasoning is simple. Palace aides act as gatekeepers, and attempting to navigate them can complicate matters further. “Doing it through palace aides is not the way to get this done because it then has the potential to invite others and then the king naturally is going to be protective,” Mr Schiffer warned.

There is also the question of appearances. “He doesn’t want to look foolish,” Mr Schiffer said of the King. For Harry, that means timing and approach will be crucial. “Harry’s going to need to deliver and to feel emotionally ready to deliver,” the expert added.

The remarks come against the backdrop of an ongoing strained relationship between Harry and the rest of the royal family. Despite being back in the UK for charity commitments, the much-anticipated chance of a personal meeting with his father has not materialised. For many observers, that underlines just how delicate things remain between the Duke and the monarch.

Mr Schiffer’s advice points towards a more personal and careful route if Harry truly wants to re-establish bonds with his family. For now, though, it seems the distance between them is as present as ever, with the public left wondering whether the divide will ever be bridged.