EXCLUSIVE Prince Harry 'will extend olive branch to King Charles and Prince William by inviting them to the next Invictus Games' - but finale is set to clash with Queen's 80th birthday
The Duke of Sussex is to extend an olive branch to the Royal Family by inviting them to the 2027 Invictus Games, the Mail on Sunday can reveal.
In the strongest indication yet that Prince Harry is keen for a reconciliation with the King and other senior Royals, it is understood that an emailed invitation will be sent out later this month, followed by a formal invitation.
Sources said the timing of the invitation was designed to give the family the best possible chance of attending, given that Charles is known to draw up his schedule up to three years in advance.
But the extraordinary move, which could see Harry pictured with the Royal Family for the first time since the late Queen's funeral, has raised eyebrows among some commentators.
Ingrid Seward said: 'The King might attend to show support for the Armed Forces and congratulate Harry on the most significant success in his life.
'The only reason the King is wary of associating with his son is that he no longer trusts him not to repeat their private conversations as he has done in the past. This goes for all the working members of the family.'
Fellow royal commentator Katie Nicholl added: 'The King absolutely wants a relationship with his youngest son and with his grandchildren.
He has an incredible capacity for forgiveness and he wants to be magnanimous in all of this and therefore there's certainly a possibility that the King might consider attending Invictus.'
Despite the Royals' previously strong support for Invictus, the invitation – should anyone choose to accept it – is likely to cause some headaches for Royal aides as it involves a major scheduling conflict.
The Games are set to open at Birmingham's NEC on July 12, 2027, and will conclude on July 17 – the day Queen Camilla turns 80 – for which there are likely to already be some celebrations planned.
It also remains to be seen whether the Duke would risk bringing Meghan and their children Archie, six, and four-year-old Lilibet, to the UK for the event, having previously insisted he could not do so unless the family were offered 'full police protection'.
'Harry has agreed that Invictus should extend an invitation to his family,' a source told The Mail on Sunday.
'Invictus hopes the Royal Family will come along to support the wounded veterans taking part. Harry is hopeful his father will set aside their differences to attend the Invictus Games and support veterans.
'The Royals have always been hugely supportive of Invictus and proud of what Harry has achieved in that arena. This is one olive branch from him which might be reciprocated.'
Harry, 40, made it clear in a BBC interview last month that he would welcome a rapprochement with his father and with the wider family, despite acknowledging the hurt caused by his brutally honest memoir, Spare.
'There's no point in continuing to fight any more,' he said. 'Life is precious.' And he added: 'Forgiveness is 100 per cent a possibility because I would like to get my father and brother back.'
The Invictus invitations are thought to represent the first time Harry has publicly reached out in a bid to gather his family together.
The invitees and the wording of the invitations are said to have been approved by Harry, with the emails being sent to private secretaries at the Palace.
The Games are expected to bring significant economic and social benefit to Birmingham.
A spokesman for Invictus said: 'No formal invitations have been issued as preparations are in the early stages.'
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'You can be standing in the queue to buy a chicken at Woolworths and you'll strike up a conversation with someone from a very different cultural background to yourself, you're wearing the same colours,' Butler said. 'For that wonderful moment, you are facing in the same direction and supporting the same group of people. It's a wonderfully unifying thing.' Despite rugby's unifying power, viewing habits reflect a deep economic divide. Most white fans watch on pay television while black audiences rely on free state television broadcasts, where they made up 58 per cent of viewers in 2017, according to one survey, compared to just 3 per cent on pay television. Yet in stadiums, a growing and more diverse crowd signals slow but real change. In many ways, though, Mandela's dreams for the country remain unfulfilled. 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2 ways to look smart in the summer heat
I t's hardly groundbreaking to suggest that you should invest in shorts and pastel shades for the summer. But these perennial favourites have made a return with a dash of difference. Gone are the days of tiny denim, stripy linen or crochet shorts — this season, it's all about tailored styles. In crisp white, rich brown or jet black, shorts have made the move to the smarter end of your wardrobe. Wear yours to the office with a sharply tailored jacket (don't worry, you don't have to wear it on the bus or the Tube), soft loafers and some no-nonsense chunky jewellery. For the evening, swap in a dramatic one-shouldered top and a pair of heeled sandals to make the most of your new-found best friends.
