Prince Harry's most controversial royal plan could still become reality, author says

One royal author believes Prince Harry's controversial "half-in, half-out" proposal may still have a future within the monarchy.

Simon Vigar, author of "The Four Wives of Windsor," told Fox News Digital that while Buckingham Palace quickly rejected the proposal in 2020, he believes a similar model is ultimately inevitable.

"Harry did think that there was a hybrid version that they could do," said Vigar. "And I think in years to come, there will be a hybrid version. I think he's right. There has to be a hybrid version of this where people don't get accused of cashing in but can support their cousins or their brother or whatever."

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"[The Sussexes] thought they could have a hybrid role of having a business life and a private life, while also spending a few months in the U.K. supporting the queen," he shared. "Harry believed that was an option, which was whipped away from him."

In 2020, Harry attended the Sandringham Summit at Queen Elizabeth II's Norfolk estate, where senior royals decided the terms of his and Meghan's departure from royal life.

According to People magazine, it was there that the late queen drew a firm line. After intense discussions, the answer was made clear to Harry: There would be no "half-in, half-out" role for the Sussexes. They couldn't be working royals while also pursuing independent, income-generating ventures.

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That year, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back as senior royals, citing intrusive coverage by the British press and a lack of support from the palace.

In the couple's Netflix series, "Harry & Meghan," the prince said the decision to step down was his.

"In fact, it was my decision," he said. "She never asked to leave. I was the one that had to see it for myself. But it's misogyny at its best."

In a statement, the queen publicly confirmed the decision, making it clear that it was "not possible to continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service." The Sussexes responded with a statement of their own: "We can all live a life of service. Service is universal."

In the Netflix docuseries, Harry claimed that William "screamed and shouted" at him during the "Sandringham Summit."

"It was terrifying to have my brother scream and shout at me, and my father say things that just simply weren't true, and my grandmother quietly sit there and sort of take it all in," he said.

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In "Spare," Harry wrote that he arrived at Sandringham with the impression that the family would consider five options for the Sussexes. "Option Five" was a full departure. After an hour, the queen's private secretary, nicknamed by Harry "The Bee," distributed drafts of a statement announcing "Option Five." Harry said he was stunned.

"Wait. I'm confused," he wrote. "You've already drafted a statement? Before any discussion? Announcing Option Five? In other words, the fix was in this whole time? This summit was just for show?"

Royal broadcaster Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital he believes the palace made a mistake by not considering the option.

"The half-in, half-out approach advocated by Harry and Meghan is the modern-day method of how royal families should operate," he said. "The late queen was extremely badly advised not to accept the formula laid out by Harry as he attempted to protect Meghan from the ravages of sustained attacks."

But not everyone agrees. Several royal experts told Fox News Digital that while Harry may eventually have a better personal relationship with his family, a return as a working royal — especially under a "half-in, half-out" model — is highly unlikely.

"There's always room for Harry to support his family privately as a son and brother," Kinsey Schofield, host of YouTube's "Kinsey Schofield Unfiltered," told Fox News Digital. "That's very different from supporting the monarchy publicly as a working royal. The monarchy has successfully adapted to a smaller working team."

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"We continue to see King Charles, Queen Camilla, the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Princess Royal, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and the Duke of Gloucester carrying out official duties," she pointed out. "While it's a leaner operation, it has demonstrated that it can function without reopening the constitutional questions raised in 2020."

After moving to California, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex publicly aired their grievances in interviews and documentaries. Harry's 2023 memoir, "Spare," further strained his relationship with his family.

On July 10, Charles hosted Harry and met with his family for the first time in years as they attempted to repair their rift. At Highgrove House, Charles' country estate, Harry and Meghan, along with their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, reunited with the king and Queen Camilla.

Harry had arrived in the U.K. for several charity events that were overshadowed by speculation about whether he would meet with his father. The 41-year-old prince has said he wants to reconcile with the monarch, 77, who is being treated for an undisclosed form of cancer.

Father and son met briefly for tea in September 2025, marking the first time they had seen each other in well over a year.

The Duke of Sussex is expected to visit the U.K. in September of this year. The Sun reported that the king will offer his younger son a room at Buckingham Palace during his stay. Fox News Digital reached out to Buckingham Palace and Archewell, which oversees the offices of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, for comment.

"Harry's issue isn't that he left," said Schofield. "It's what he did after he left. Between the Oprah interview, the Netflix series, ‘Spare,’ and years of public criticism, he established a pattern of taking private family matters and turning them into commercial products. That's exactly the type of risk the late queen was trying to avoid."

"If anything, Harry's conduct since 2020 has validated her decision rather than undermined it," she argued. "In any professional organization, that wouldn't strengthen your case for rejoining the leadership team. It would be cited as evidence that you cannot be trusted with confidential information or institutional responsibilities."

"The monarchy runs on trust," Schofield continued. "Harry has spent the last several years demonstrating a pattern of monetizing privileged access to the royal family. The palace would have to ask itself whether Harry could be trusted to represent the institution. I think the answer to that question is no."

Schofield pointed to Sophie, now the Duchess of Edinburgh, as a cautionary tale. In 2001, she gave up her public relations career after an undercover reporter posing as a prospective client secretly recorded her discussing her royal connections. The controversy reinforced the palace's view that commercial work and official royal duties could create conflicts, and Sophie went on to become a full-time working royal. 

Today, she is widely regarded as one of the monarchy's most valuable assets.

Royal experts told Fox News Digital that William and Harry haven't spoken since 2022, when their grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, died.

British royal expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital that, at most, she expects Harry to be offered "informal, limited and tightly controlled opportunities" while in the U.K. as he continues reconciliation efforts with his family. She said he will continue to participate in events supporting his charitable causes in his home country. However, a functional hybrid role isn't in the cards, she insisted.

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"Prince William has been consistent in his opposition," said Fordwich, referring to the king's heir. "Princess Catherine is by his side on this, as are the courtiers and those whose role it is to protect the monarchy."

The Sussexes continue to raise their children in the wealthy, coastal city of Montecito. As Harry continues to rebuild his relationship with his father, Schofield doesn't believe a "half-in, half-out" role would ever be reconsidered.

"The late queen's decision wasn't a personal preference," she said. "It was an institutional decision designed to protect the Crown's impartiality and integrity. I don't see King Charles reversing it.

"The strongest opposition would likely come from those responsible for protecting the monarchy's long-term stability, including Prince William and senior officials who understand the reputational risks. Once you allow one royal to commercially monetize royal status while carrying out official duties, it becomes incredibly difficult to explain why others cannot do the same."