One of Prince Harry's close relatives heading to US - sparking talk of reunion

Prince Harry's close relative is set to visit the United States this week, sparking speculation about a potential reunion. The Duke has become increasingly distant from the royal family following his and Meghan Markle's repeated criticisms of the monarchy.

Reports suggest that Prince William has severed ties with the couple, while Harry's relationship with his father is reportedly strained. The 40 year old Duke of Sussex has also allegedly fallen out with other relatives, including Prince Edward, who will be in America this week.

Edward, King Charles's youngest sibling, will represent the monarch at the funeral service for Jimmy Carter, who passed away at the age of 100 on December 29, 2024. The Prince will attend the service alone at the Washington National Cathedral in Washington D.C. on Thursday.

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It is uncertain whether Edward will meet Harry during his visit. Other notable attendees paying their final respects to the 39th US President include all five living presidents – Bill Clinton, George W Bush, Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and Donald Trump, reports the Mirror.

This news follows Harry and Meghan's absence from the royal family's Christmas celebration at Sandringham, as they chose to spend it at their home in California. The current state of Harry's relationship with his uncle Edward is unknown - but Edward and his wife Sophie have previously made light of the Sussexes and their criticism of the royals.

In March 2021, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex sat down with Oprah Winfrey for a revealing interview, during which they shared shocking allegations about their time as working members of the royal family. Among their claims were discussions about the potential skin tone of their son, Archie, and Harry's assertion that his family had financially cut him off.

The palace was shaken by their accusations, prompting Prince William to publicly defend the monarchy, stating, "We're very much not a racist family."

Meanwhile, Prince Edward and his wife, Sophie, adopted a different tactic when questioned by The Telegraph about the explosive interview. The Prince feigned ignorance, asking, "Oprah, who?" while Sophie followed up with a dismissive, "What interview?" This came after allegations that Meghan had previously spurned Sophie's offer to help her adjust to life within the family.

Having left her acting career behind when she married Harry in 2018, the Duchess of Sussex had initially vowed to "hit the ground running" in her new role as a working royal.

In a rare interview, Sophie previously compared her experience of joining the royal family to Meghan's, telling the Sunday Times: "Remember I'd had five years to adjust [to royal life]. And for our six-month engagement, I was even staying at Buckingham Palace. Not that you necessarily know how it will pan out."

Speaking about the Sussexes exit from the firm, Sophie said: "I just hope they will be happy."

But she pointedly added that the royals do all they can to try to assist new members to adjust to the life, saying: "We all try to help any new members of the family."