'Cup in hand': King Charles III 'cautious and wary' of Prince Harry's reconciliation push as $100m Netflix deal with Meghan Markle teeters - and one detail that's still 'missing' ahead of truce
The pair, who famously stepped back from royal duties in 2020, have remained distant from the Royal Family ever since.
But earlier this month, signs of a possible thaw emerged, with Harry's communications team spotted in London meeting with the King's communications secretary.
It's also been reported that Harry, 40, has invited his father to attend the 2027 Invictus Games in Birmingham.
However, the monarch is said to be approaching any family reunion with extreme caution, particularly as reports swirl that the couple's $100 million Netflix deal is at risk following a series of poorly performing projects.
Royal commentator Samara Gill told The Royal Report on Sunday she didn't blame the King for being sceptical of Harry's recent overtures.
"The reports are saying King Charles is cautious and wary of Prince Harry's attempts to reconcile," Gill said.
"I don't blame the King, and that's a nice way of putting it for the hell that that man has been put through by Harry and Meghan."
Gill said the timing of the olive branch was suspect: "I just think the money is drying up for Harry, and he's coming back, cup in hand to the King and wanting reconciliation."
She also referred to comments made by former royal press secretary Dickie Arbiter, who insisted that Harry "needs to apologise before he can even think of reconciling with the King".
"That's what's missing here, an apology," Gill said.
"And I don't think that Harry, with his victim complex, is going to come out with one anytime soon."
Sky News contributor Louise Roberts added fuel to the fire, telling The Royal Report that she's heard the Sussexes' Netflix deal is on the chopping block.
"By September, the Netflix deal is no more. It will expire, it will not be renewed," she said.
"And it's no surprise, because the value of Meghan and Harry is their proximity to the Royal Family. Once they'd exhausted that 'Tell All' whinge fest, their value plummeted."
Roberts credited Netflix for their early success with the Harry & Meghan docuseries, still the platform's highest-performing documentary of all time, but said their subsequent solo projects lacked impact.
"Netflix played their cards well by getting the Sussexes to do their story," she said.
"But they were foolish to allow them to then do their own series, which hasn't really played out that well."
Roberts said the pair would now need to branch out beyond Netflix if they wanted to continue in the entertainment space, an expensive proposition without studio backing.
Despite the swirling speculation, a source from Netflix told The Mail on Sunday that a new deal is still being negotiated.
"Netflix again have been very canny here, because they've agreed to a 'first look' deal," Roberts said.
"That means if Harry and Meghan do actually produce something else worth watching, Netflix will get first dibs".
It's also believed the second season of With Love, Meghan, filmed straight after season one, is already in the pipeline and will air later this year.
Another insider told The Mail that Netflix's existing investment in the 43-year-old former actress' lifestyle brand As Ever makes it unlikely the company will walk away completely.
"Netflix is a listed company, so they can't confirm anything officially yet," the source said.
"But that deal is not dead. Netflix are an equity partner in As Ever, so they were unlikely to drop Meghan. It would be like punching yourself in the face not to sign a new deal."
However, Gill remains doubtful about the Sussexes' future with Netflix- until now one of their main sources of income funding their lavish lifestyle in Montecito, California.
"I don't think there's a future here, and I think the one issue Harry and Meghan will have in the near future is money," she said.
"I think that their lifestyle is extremely, extremely expensive, and with these deals very quickly drying up, I just don't know.
"… There aren't that many pots of jam you can sell to fund that lifestyle."
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