Inside story of Harry’s bid to return to the royal family: Friends reveal ‘surprising’ messages, overtures and secret ‘rehab blueprint’ that suggests all is not sunny in Montecito

They had admitted, with no small amount of regret, that they would probably never hear from their old friend again, and had resigned themselves to the fact that their once strong bond had been irreparably broken. But out of the blue, the phones of a select group of Prince Harry’s former confidants recently pinged with conciliatory messages. To their surprise, the royal runaway had contacted them on WhatsApp, four years after he left the UK for California.

“It was a really big surprise,” a source told The Mail on Sunday.

There was a belief among his friends that the Duke of Sussex, ill-suited to the lifestyle there, had been transformed at Montecito into a strangely grumpy figure, given to preaching and being a self-centered psychopath and, worse still, criticizing his family.

At least that was the story told by some and shared by many. That may be why Harry, angry at the criticism, was selective in the people he approached.

Strangely enough, many of those who have not yet received the olive branch are among his oldest companions, including fellow Etonians. Of those who have been favoured, a number have been friends he has acquired in more recent times.

Sources close to the Duke of Sussex have said he has taken steps towards ‘rehabilitation’ and possibly a partial return to royal circle.

But, as The Mail on Sunday reveals today, Harry hasn’t just messaged old friends. He’s also consulted at least one former aide from his days as a working royal – perhaps indicating that all is not as sunny in California as he would like us to believe.

“Harry is turning away from all sorts of Hollywood publicists and is seeking advice from his old friends and colleagues,” a source said. “He’s clearly reaching out with the thought, ‘I need to do something else because what I’m doing is clearly not working.'”

The overtures herald what sources see as early steps toward what they hope will be Harry’s “rehabilitation” and, possibly, a partial return to the royal fold. Willing to forgive and forget, friends have responded positively and are actively committed to helping him pave a path back to the U.K.

Some call their mission Operation Bring Harry In From The Cold. The title is only half serious, as a permanent move is out of the question.

But instead of sneaking in and out of the country like a fugitive, he hopes Harry can spend some time in the UK, as the source puts it.

Friends noted with approval his last-minute visit to attend the memorial service for his uncle, Lord Fellowes, last week. It is encouraging that it lasted at least four days and may yet prove to be a pivotal moment.

Much work is needed to rebuild bridges and restore friendships. But The Mail on Sunday has learned that a plan for a way forward is already in place.

A friend has come up with a strategy for how Harry could move back into British circles. “He has drawn up a blueprint and will show it to Harry if and when the time is right,” the source said. “This person believes there is a real chance that Harry could one day return to very modest royal duties.

‘He believes that if Harry were to return to the UK without fuss, without publicity and without attending mundane events, he could prove himself and win over the British public again. He would have to accept, however, that he might only be able to cut ribbons for a long time. But it would give him a purpose to work again. It could happen, one day, if certain members of his family could find it in themselves to allow it.’

In his memoir Spare, Harry suggested that Kate was cold towards Meghan and that William once physically assaulted him at Nottingham Cottage

As things stand, it’s hard to imagine Prince William welcoming the plan – or even a potential peace offer. All the more raw are the jabs in Spare, Harry’s venomous memoir, in which he suggested Kate was cold toward Meghan and that William once physically assaulted him, knocking him to the floor at Nottingham Cottage. In a sign of the depth of their rift, it was claimed last month that William has no intention of inviting his brother to his coronation.

But as some have half-jokingly noted, if warring Oasis brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher can reconcile, anyone can.

Friends want a force to lead the comeback campaign, someone around whom Harry’s key lieutenants will rally. The clear frontrunner is the duke’s former right-hand man, Edward Lane Fox, whom he first met while on military duty. One friend described him as the “great white hope” of the operation.

Another source told this newspaper: ‘If anyone can do it, it’s Edward. The last time I saw him I wanted to grab him by the shoulders and say, “Ed, please take our boy home”. Now is the time.’

As Harry’s private secretary, Mr Lane Fox, a former captain in the Household Cavalry, was credited with helping the Prince improve his image after he was photographed naked during a trip to Las Vegas in 2012. Mr Lane Fox was also instrumental in helping former actress Meghan adjust to royal life, with her reportedly describing him as a “godsend.”

Asked about leading the campaign, Lane Fox told the MoS: ‘I’m afraid I have no opinion on it.’

Much has changed, of course, since the two men last worked together in 2018, when Harry and Meghan’s stock was at a fever pitch in Britain. Now the couple find themselves at the bottom of a poll of favourite royals – hence the desire to appeal to the wisdom of ‘old-school helpers’ for whom duty and discretion are key.

Harry, who turns 40 later this month, is said to be at a crossroads. A former aide said: ‘He spends all his time looking back. If only he could turn his neck and look forward.’

Harry did not cut all ties when he moved to California. He kept in touch with Charlie van Straubenzee, a friend from prep school, and Mark Dyer, a former equerry to the king.

Harry has decided not to update the paperback version of his book and not to give any interviews to promote it.

But otherwise, the source said: “He’s so disconnected from his oldest – and theoretically best – friends. It got to the point where he became so disconnected that he felt like he couldn’t have direct contact with his old mates anymore. There’s a sense at home that it’s not sustainable. It’s just time to get back to the way things were.”

Many of Harry’s friends supported the move to the US, believing the motives behind it were largely sound. Who could blame him for wanting to settle down and raise a family in a peaceful environment, they argued, away from the dizzying maelstrom of royal life and its attendant pressures? “There’s nothing wrong with wanting those things and seeking a fresh start,” the source said. “His friends acknowledge his goals were noble.”

However, it was the undignified manner in which he and Meghan conducted their departure that caused outrage, which turned to anger when Harry began publicly criticising his family.

Charles was portrayed as an emotionally handicapped father who married Camilla despite his sons’ pleas not to have her play the role of “evil stepmother,” and who was jealous of his sons’ popularity. In an interview with CBS, Harry said he had seen Camilla as a “villain” who “left bodies in the street” in her quest to improve her image.

It is a measure of their capacity for clemency that Harry’s friends, unlike William, are now able to overlook these deeply hurtful comments. A source said: ‘It is because his original intention was not malicious that there is a path to forgiveness for him.’

Before his marriage, Harry was protected by a Praetorian Guard in the United Kingdom. In addition to rallying them in times of crisis, these loyalists actively helped him find a new girlfriend after he broke up with Chelsy Davy. When he began dating Cressida Bonas, they brought her into his world by introducing her, cautiously, to Prince William.

A source said: ‘His circle of friends could be a huge positive influence if they all work together to have Harry’s best interests at heart.’

Harry himself seems noticeably less bitter of late. There are indeed signs of a softening, a reluctance to prod the House of Windsor any further.

There were concerns that the forthcoming paperback edition of Spare would reveal new revelations. But to the relief of his family, Harry has decided not to update it or give any interviews to promote it.

Rebuilding his relationship with his father, if not his brother, is seen as an achievable goal and an outcome that both desire. The MoS revealed last week that the king had been receiving advice from spiritual leaders who had led him to consider healing their rift. There were fears that he would never see his grandchildren Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet again because Harry refuses to bring his family to the UK.

“That situation could still change,” a source said.

‘It is significant that the first steps have been taken.’