Prince Harry‘s four-day trip to the United Kingdom this week generated headlines for his charitable work and for a long-anticipated meeting with King Charles at Clarence House.

The visit was the first time the pair had seen each other in 19 months, fueling speculation that father and son may be inching toward reconciliation after years of tension.

But while some royal watchers hailed the encounter as a positive sign, others struck a more cautious tone.

Among them was Richard Eden, diary editor at the Daily Mail, who argued that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex continue to pose difficulties for the monarchy.

Eden acknowledged the personal importance of a father seeing his son again but emphasized the complexity of the King’s dual role.

“Obviously, I can understand a father wanting to meet his son. Who wouldn’t? The problem is, he is not just a father, he is our Head of State, and I think Harry and Meghan are bad news for the Royal Family,” he wrote.

Questions of trust and motives

In his analysis, Eden accused the Sussexes of using their royal links to boost their profile while simultaneously undermining the institution they left behind in 2020.

“We have seen time and time again that they can’t be trusted. They exploit their royal connections, and I don’t think it’s being paranoid to say that they want to be the alternative Royal Family,” he argued.

Eden went further, suggesting that Harry and Meghan‘s ambitions extend beyond carving out their own path. In his view, the couple sees themselves as potential replacements for the Prince and Princess of Wales.

“They want to replace Prince William and Catherine as the principal royals, and they undermine them,” he added.

The remarks highlight ongoing divisions among commentators and the public. To some, the Sussexes represent a modernized, independent branch of the monarchy, pursuing philanthropic work and media projects on their own terms.

To others, their global platform threatens to blur the lines of royal authority and overshadow those who remain within the institution.

Harry‘s reunion with the King has been portrayed as a private and relatively warm moment, with the two spending just under an hour together over tea.

Yet even this meeting was interpreted differently depending on perspective. Optimists saw a father and son attempting to heal their rift, while critics warned against assuming a broader reconciliation with the royal household.