Prince Charles has reportedly offered his son, Prince Harry, an olive branch amid fears over what the Duke of Sussex's memoir will say about Camilla Duchess of Cornwall.
The Prince of Wales has previously expressed his firm wish to spend quality time with his grandchildren.
He has not seen Archie since he was six months old and has never met the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s baby daughter, Lilibet Diana, who was born in June.
The offer of bringing the family together for the first time since Harry and his wife Meghan decided to quit their royal roles and set up home in California was made by the heir in the lead up to Christmas, it is understood.
But Charles’s good-natured plan, in an attempt to heal the rift between him and his son, has been thrown into doubt after Harry suggested a return would come at “too great a personal risk” due to his security situation.
Now, the Sun reports that sources have claimed there are fears over the "reputational damage" Harry's forthcoming book could cause.
Those fears are said to revolve around "Harry's recollections of Camilla's entry into the Royal Family" and how her romance with his father "damaged him from a young age."
The source said: “Harry is fiercely loyal and protective of his late mother and her legacy, and didn’t approve of Camilla sweeping in as the great love of his father’s life.
“Understandably he found those early years incredibly difficult, and he might publicly blame Camilla for much of what he believes went wrong in his childhood, and the trauma the whole situation caused.
“Charles is deeply protective of Camilla. The last thing he needs — especially in a year of celebration that should be all about the Queen — is an excoriating takedown of Camilla at a time when people have finally taken her to their hearts.”
The source went on to claim that Harry "still has anger towards his father" who he says cut him off financially.
Inviting Harry to stay with Charles showed a hope they can talk about the book as well as allow him to see the grandchildren, the source added.
Harry is set to release the tell-all memoir, which he promises will be a "wholly-truthful and accurate" account of his life so far, this year.
The book is being ghost-written by Pulitzer winner J.R. Moehringer, who has previously written memoirs for tennis legend Andre Agassi and Nike co-founder Phil Knight.
Announcing the new book in July, Harry issued a statement sharing his excitement about the launch.
He said: "I'm writing this not as the prince I was born but as the man, I have become.
“I've worn many hats over the years, both literally and figuratively, and my hope is that in telling my story - the highs and lows, the mistakes, the lessons learned - I can help show that no matter where we come from, we have more in common than we think.
“I'm deeply grateful for the opportunity to share what I've learned over the course of my life so far and excited for people to read a firsthand account of my life that's accurate and wholly truthful.”
Mirror Online has approached Clarence House for comment.
