Prince Harry Reportedly Plots UK Return With Help Of Ex-Aides & Friends As 40th Birthday Nears

Prince Harry is reportedly eyeing a return to the royal family after self-imposed exile in the United States.

According to reports, the father of two is devising plans with his former aides and close friends to facilitate his return, with friends dubbing it "Operation Bring Harry In From The Cold."

The Duke of Sussex recently embarked on a blink-and-miss trip to his home country, where he joined his estranged brother, Prince William, for the funeral service of their late uncle, Lord Fellowes.

Prince Harry and William reportedly didn't talk to each other and remained distanced throughout the event.

According to the Daily Mail, Harry is seeking help from his former aides and friends to smoothen the path for his potential comeback to the royal family.

The duke, who turns 40 this month, is reportedly fed up with American-based image experts and is said to be consulting people "from his old life" as a working royal to help mastermind his return from exile.

It comes as Harry and Meghan parted ways with American PR strategist Christine Weil Schirmer, who joined them in 2020 as head of communications but left last year.

Schirmer's departure marks the 10th staff member to leave the Sussexes in three years, following the departure of their chief of staff, Josh Kettler, in July.

"Harry is turning away from all sorts of Hollywood publicists and is seeking counsel from his old friends and associates," a source told the news outlet. "He is clearly reaching out thinking, 'I need to do something different because what I'm doing is clearly not working.' In short, he is rethinking the way he operates."

Harry and Meghan strained ties with the royal family when they quit their royal roles in 2020 and relocated to the US. In interviews and Harry's blockbuster memoir, "Spare," the Sussexes made several allegations against the monarchy.

However, with Harry's birthday approaching, a friend shared plans for how the duke might begin moving into the UK circle again and even take on "very lowkey royal duties."

A source said the friend "believes if Harry comes back to the UK with zero fuss, and does zero publicity and attends very mundane events, he could prove himself and win over the British public again."

The source noted that the idea may mean he'd have to settle for "ribbon cutting for a long period" but that it'll "give him purpose to work again."

However, the insider explained that it would only happen "if certain members of the family could find it in themselves to allow it."

According to the news outlet, Harry has sent conciliatory messages to several of his old UK friends on WhatsApp amid the prospect of his return to the country.

Although he's reportedly not seeking a permanent return, his friends are understood to have given their blessings on his plans and have even tagged the scheme "Operation Bring Harry In From The Cold," per the Daily Mail.

One of his friends explained that Harry's former private secretary, Edward Lane Fox, might be instrumental in his comeback.

"If anyone can do it, Edward can. The last time I saw him I wanted to take him by the shoulders and say, 'Ed, please bring our boy home.' It's the right time now," Harry's friend said.

However, when the news outlet reached out to Mr. Fox about the chances he'd help the duke return to the royal family, he said, "It's not something I've got a view on I'm afraid."

Harry recently embarked on a secret dash to the UK, where he came within touching distance of his brother, Prince William.

The warring siblings joined family and friends at St Mary's Church in Snettisham on Wednesday for the funeral service of their late uncle, Lord Fellowes.

Locals claimed they arrived "very discreetly" for the event and didn't talk to each other.

"I didn't know they were there. They arrived very discreetly," a local told The Sun, while another added, "William and Harry were both there but we never saw them speak to each other and they were keeping their distance."

The church's Vicar, Reverend Dan Tansey, told the Daily Mail that the pair walked "a few people apart" as they left the event and couldn't recall talking to each other at a reception afterward.

When asked whether the warring royal brothers sat together, Reveran Tansey replied, "I don't know because I was in the vestry."

"When I came out to start the service, they had arrived, but I didn't even know they were there until after the service when I was meeting people on the way out," the Vicar noted. "They came out and shook my hand, and said hello. I couldn't see where they were sat in the church."

"I was just greeting one person at a time as they came out. They came out a few people apart," he said, adding that "it was a surprise but a really pleasant one that they had both come, but maybe less shocking that William was there."

Reverend Tansey continued, "On the way out, they both said thank you for the service and I thanked them for coming. At the reception afterward, there was a very relaxed and cordial atmosphere. I don't recollect them speaking to each other but there were a lot of family members and friends speaking to them."

"It would have meant a lot to Lord Fellowes to have them both at the service. He loved them both very much," he added.