EXCLUSIVE: Prince Harry 'Gets Last Chance to Repair King Charles Rift'

In mid-July, after some tense back and forth between Prince Harry's team and Buckingham Palace, Harry and his wife, Duchess Meghan [Markle], and their two kids, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, made their long-awaited trek to the U.K. to reunite with his estranged father, King Charles III, RadarOnline.com can reveal.

The meeting – which took place at Charles' home Highgrove House and was attended by Queen Camilla – marked the monarch's first time seeing Markle and his grandchildren in four years.

A few weeks later, it was revealed Harry has been invited back to stay at Buckingham Palace when he visits the U.K. for the WellChild Awards in September. As a source told RadarOnline.com: "It's a big deal for Harry."

He isn't taking the olive branch for granted. According to the source, the 41-year-old knows this is likely his last chance to get back into the good graces of his dad, and potentially the royal family at large.

Charles, 77, has been battling an unspecified cancer since 2024, and the prince is aware time is of the essence.

"There's a real 'now or never' sentiment," said the source, noting that while Charles' health is Harry's main concern, he's also hoping to re-establish his royal position before his estranged brother, Prince William, takes the crown along with his wife, Princess Kate [Middleton]. "Harry may never get a better window of opportunity."

It wasn't too long ago that peace between father and son seemed unthinkable. In a May 2025 interview with the BBC, Harry lamented that his father was no longer speaking to him. (At the time, Harry had just lost a court case over having his U.K. security downgraded after he and Markle, 44, moved to the U.S. in 2020.)

A much-anticipated meeting in September lasted less than an hour. "The relationship between Harry and Charles was at rock bottom," said the source.

The new palace invite comes after a similar offer was rescinded in July. Amid claims the Duke and Duchess of Sussex hadn't RSVP'd in time, the pair were left scrambling, ultimately landing at Althorp House, Harry's late mother [Princess] Diana's family estate in West Northamptonshire.

And some are saying Harry shouldn't expect the royal treatment come September. Not that he'd be surprised to be given less-than-stately accommodations. As he wrote in his 2023 memoir Spare, even as a child, he was given "less luxurious" quarters than his heir-to-the-throne brother.

Still, the source said he's choosing to see even the lowliest room at the palace as a sign that Charles is open to him returning to the royal fold. "Harry being welcomed in a formal capacity is a significant step," said the source. "He's desperate to see Charles as much as he possibly can, and is very pleased he's being welcomed back."

Harry's striking while the iron's hot. "The royals are in the process of fine-tuning certain roles within The Firm," explained the source, adding that it won't be long before William and Middleton, both 44, take the crown. "Harry is well aware of that, and he's making moves accordingly."

Amid financial setbacks, he's looking at getting back on the royal payroll. "Harry would love to find a compromise where he can work for the royal family in some capacity, but it's obviously a highly sensitive topic," said the source.

On July 7, it was revealed Harry lost his $67 million privacy suit against the publisher of the U.K.'s Daily Mail for unlawfully obtaining information (his claims, also made by Sir Elton John and Elizabeth Hurley, were dismissed due to lack of sufficient evidence).

Harry could reportedly be on the hook for $45 million to cover his legal fees as well as those incurred by the defense.

Harry and Markle– who splashed out $14.6 million for their Montecito spread – "need a Hail Mary to sustain their current lifestyle," the source added. Their dreams of conquering Hollywood have yet to be fully achieved: While Markle's Netflix series With Love, Meghan earned a Daytime Emmy nod, her recent appearance on MasterChef Australia drew mixed reviews.

Cookie Queens, which they exec' produced, premiered to decent buzz at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival.

After the WellChild Awards in the fall, Harry is due back in the U.K. again next July for the Invictus Games, but is hoping for some unofficial visits.

"He wants to keep up the momentum," said the source. "His goal is to be as present as he can be for his dad, and he knows this is his last chance."