EXCLUSIVE: Prince Harry's Balmoral Snub 'Was First Test of His De-Megxit'

Prince Harry's absence from the royal family's recent meeting in Balmoral has become the first significant test of how The Firm will handle his dramatic "de-Megxit" return to Britain, royal sources have exclusively told Radaronline.com.

The 41-year-old Duke of Sussex has not enjoyed a traditional summer at the Scottish estate since stepping back as a working royal in 2020.

His continued absence is particularly striking this year, with King Charles III, 77, Prince William, 44, Catherine, 44, and other senior royals gathering at Balmoral just as Harry and Meghan Markle, 45, prepare to return to Britain with Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five.

A palace insider claimed: "The Balmoral meeting turned into crisis talks for how the royal family is to treat Harry and his wife when they return to Britain. It is the first real test of what Harry's return will actually mean in practice.

"He is coming back to Britain, but that doesn't automatically restore his place inside every private royal gathering. There is a huge difference between rebuilding family relationships and simply pretending the past six years never happened."

The royal family traditionally gathers for a summer vacation at Balmoral, and the trip was planned before news of Harry and Markle's return emerged.

But sources told us it became an "emergency conference" after it was reported that Harry and his family are planning a comeback to Britain.

Charles arrived at Balmoral last week, followed by William and Catherine and their children, Prince George, 13, Princess Charlotte, 11, and Prince Louis, eight.

Princess Anne, 76, and Prince Edward, 62, have also been among family members at the estate. However, Harry's impending homecoming has inevitably changed the backdrop to the gathering.

Another royal source claimed: "There are practical questions that simply weren't as pressing when Harry was thousands of miles away in California. How often does he see the King? What happens with William? Which private family occasions might the Sussexes attend? Balmoral has provided the first opportunity for senior members of the family to consider those issues face-to-face."

Harry retains powerful memories of the estate. In his memoir Spare, he described Balmoral as "simply paradise."

He added it was a "cross between Disney World and some sacred Druid grove."

Harry also said: "I was always too busy fishing, shooting, running up and down 'the hill' to notice anything off about the feng shui of the old castle."

The duke added he was particularly happy there on August 30, 1997 – the day before Diana, Princess of Wales, died aged 36 in Paris.

His relationship with Balmoral became more painful following Queen Elizabeth II's death there aged 96 in September 2022.

Harry later opened up about his treatment as the family rushed to Scotland during her final hours.

He and Markle are expected to maintain a private British residence rather than move onto a royal estate and are not returning as working royals.

Harry and Markle's feud with the Royal Family erupted after they stepped down as working royals in 2020 and moved to California.

Relations deteriorated further following their 2021 Oprah Winfrey interview, in which they made allegations about racism and their treatment inside the monarchy.

Their Netflix series Harry & Meghan brought further criticism, before Harry's 2023 memoir Spare detailed bitter disputes with King Charles and Prince William, including an alleged physical confrontation with his brother.

Harry subsequently expressed hopes of reconciliation.

Relations with Charles have recently thawed, but Harry's relationship with William is still reported to remain deeply strained.