Prince Harry’s importance to royal family ‘shouldn’t be overlooked’: Insider

With the ‘slimmed-down’ royal family under pressure to fill its public schedule amid health woes, Prince Harry’s value ‘shouldn’t be overlooked,’ said an insider.

Prince Harry’s unwavering importance to the royals “shouldn’t be overlooked,” according to King Charles’ former butler.

Grant Harrold, who worked for King Charles for seven years when he was the Prince of Wales, believes that the Duke of Sussex will eventually leave California and step up to help out the royal family — should that be something they need him to do.

With King Charles out of action as he undergoes cancer treatment, and Princess Catherine sitting out of royal engagements until after Easter following her abdominal surgery, the Royal Family is having to make alternate plans when it comes to filling their roster of public engagements.

“It’s difficult to tell and it’ll be interesting to see what goes on moving forward,” Harrold exclusively told the New York Post.

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, speaks during a wheelchair curling demonstration at the "Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025's One Year to Go". Picture: AFP

“Harry is a Counsellor of State, so he is still a very senior member of the royal family and if the time comes, he would step up if he needs to.”

“While Harry might not be next in line to the throne, he’s not that far down the line of succession so his importance to the royal family shouldn’t be overlooked,” Harrold continued, adding, “I think it’s within all of their benefits to actually resolve these ongoing issues.”

Returning to the UK at a time of crisis is something that Prince Harry has been contemplating in recent weeks, according to reports.

King Charles III, when he was Prince of Wales, with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry at Christmas Day Church service at Church of St Mary Magdalene on December 25, 2017. Picture: Getty Images

The father of two, 39, and husband of Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, is thought to have been kept at arm’s length from his father or ongoing succession talks.

But it seems as though he could make a swift return to the royal fold as the family navigates several health woes, as well as the up-and-down fortunes of Prince Andrew.

But the question remains how Prince Harry’s wife Meghan Markle would react to her husband travelling almost a thousand kilometres to help out the family he distanced himself from with a scathing memoir and series of media interviews.

It was recently announced that Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex, will participate in the keynote address at SXSW festival, March 8-16, titled Breaking Barriers, Shaping Narratives: How Women Lead On and Off the Screen, along with Katie Couric, Brooke Shields and diversity equity and inclusion consultant Nancy Wang Yuen.

King Charles III and Britain's Queen Camilla wave as they leave by car from Clarence House in London on February 6, 2024. The Queen is reportedly “exhausted” from filling in for the King. Picture: AFP

It comes as Queen Camilla, 76, is said to be “exhausted” after taking on 13 official engagements on her own since news of her husband King Charles’ cancer diagnosis came to light.

Other royals are stepping up to shoulder the burden with Prince William and Princess Anne set to take the reins from Queen Camilla this week, as she jets off on a quick holiday following a busy few weeks, according to The Sun.

Prince William, the heir to the throne, will now take on an extra workload as well as Princess Anne, who is believed to be the year’s hardest-working royal, according to The Telegraph. They are joined by the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, although Prince Edward turns 60 in a matter of days.