Prince Harry Set To Return To UK Next Month Following Birth Of Daughter Lilibet

Jun 09, 2021 by apost team

Until this day, Princess Diana, also called the People's Princess, is remembered fondly all over the world for her impeccable fashion style, kind-hearted manner, and charity work. Diana's early death in 1997 devasted not only the British royal family but also fans across the globe.

In the wake of her passing, tributes towards her quickly rose to prominence. While there have been lulls of interest towards the royal family, Princess Diana remains a popular person and topic even to this day.

Princess Diana's sons, Prince William and Harry, have worked hard to preserve their mother's legacy both symbolically but also throughout their own charity work as parts of the royal family. Both brothers have taken carried on Princess Diana's legacy in terms of being outspoken about mental health.

Back in January of 2017, the two brothers publicly announced their decision to commission a statue in honor of their late mother. Originally, the statue was set to be unveiled later that year but plans changed, and in August of 2020, a new date for the statue's erection was set. The new reveal date has been set to honor what would have been Princess Diana's 60th birthday on July 1, 2021. The hope is to remind Kensington Palace visitors of Princess Diana's life and legacy with the statue.

As the past few years have been especially tumultuous for the royal family, fans wondered whether Prince Harry would keep to this plan. A widening rift between brothers, revelations regarding Prince Diana's infamous Panorama interview, the death of one of the nation's most important figures, and internal criticisms have made it seem like the family is coming apart. However, it has now been made clear that Harry will be present for the unveiling of Diana's statue - and reconciliation might not be that far off.

Amid the continued tensions between Harry and his family, many have questioned if Harry would attend the unveiling of the statue. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced in January 2020 that they would be taking a step back from their roles as senior royals, the couple moved to Southern California and the duo openly criticized the royal family in multiple interviews. During the same period, Queen Elizabeth II lost her "strength and stay," Prince Philip, who died on April 9 at 99 years old. Given these seismic shifts in the royal family — both at home in London and abroad in California — it's no wonder that there has been an uptick in familial conflict.

Since Harry and Meghan's abrupt departure as senior working members of the Royal Family, Prince Philip's funeral was the first time that Harry and his family reunited. The already tense relationship between Harry and the family ignited further after Harry and Markle sat down with Oprah Winfrey for a controversial interview in March 2021. During the television special, the couple openly criticized the royal family and its internal culture, making allegations of racism.

Following the interview, Metro UK reported that Harry's relationship with his father hit "rock bottom" after a "complete communication breakdown." Charles was thought to be "very hurt" after the two-hour special aired, especially because Harry accused Charles of no longer taking his calls. As per the news outlet, sources claim that Harry was "forced to write letters" to the Prince of Wales because of this supposed lack of communication.

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After the funeral for Prince Philip, Harry reportedly engaged in two hours of "peace talks" with William, the Daily Mail reported. They also reported that the two brothers' peace talks included their father Prince Charles. Harry and William's conversation after the funeral was widely reported and pointed to a thawing in their currently cold relationship. While there have been no further updates about the current state of Harry's relationship with his family, many have wondered about whether Harry will attend the unveiling of Diana's statue, which is scheduled in July 2021.

Harry had let it be known previously that he might miss the unveiling if his wife had not given birth yet. As he and Meghan Markle have since welcomed their daughter into their life, the idea of missing his second child's birth is no longer keeping him from the statue unveiling. However, as Lilibet will only be a few weeks old at the time of the event, it is extremely unlikely that his family will accompany Harry.

According to the Daily Mail, the queen also expects Harry to visit the UK next month. And not only that, but she has also extended an olive branch and issued an open invitation for Harry to join her for lunch. The Daily Mail quotes their unnamed source as saying:

"It's a typically magnanimous gesture by Her Majesty. The lunch will be a chance for them to talk things through."

According to the source, the lunch invitation actually preceded Lilibet's birth and was intended as an open invitation, to be taken up whenever Harry would be back in the UK. As the queen has been a unifying force within the royal family for decades, it's no surprise that she would be the first to try and mend the rift arising over the last months.

What do you think about Prince Harry's upcoming visit to the UK and the Queen's invitation? Do you think they should talk, and would you have issued the invitation in the Queen's place? Tell us your thoughts and pass this along to fellow royals fans.