Prince Harry asked royal ally 'brutal question' while flying solo at event without Meghan

Prince Harry's desire to heal his fractured relationships with the Royal Family is no secret - but a hidden exchange decoded by a lip-reader has shed light on his frustration with his lack of success. The Duke of Sussex appeared to irrevocably sever ties with King Charles and Prince William when he released his controversial tell-all memoir Spare in January 2022, with William reportedly cutting off all communication with his brother shortly afterwards. The family members briefly reunited for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022 and Charles' coronation the following year, but interactions were said to remain tense, with Meghan Markle tellingly not making an appearance at the latter event.

While representatives for Harry and Charles have reportedly since made progress towards reconciliation, newly decoded footage from the King's coronation has laid bare Harry's frustration with his rebuffed attempts to mend ties. He was caught on camera whispering in the ear of his cousin and confidant, Princess Eugenie, at the celebration in May 2023, with a lip-reader offering insight into the conversation, and his anger at being excluded from royal life.

As part of a new TV series, Lip-Reading the Royals: The Secret Conversations, which airs on Channel 5 on Saturday night, an expert revealed that Harry complained to his cousin about the failure of unspecified parties to reach out upon his short return to the UK.

"I've spent five hours with my dad in his office and not a friendly text from either," the Duke allegedly said in Eugenie's ear. He then asked: "Why hasn't anybody contacted me?"

Eugenie, who was Harry's staunchest royal ally when he ruffled feathers by quitting his duties and moving to the US with Meghan in 2020, didn't respond to the question, except with a sympathetic but cautious smile.

The news of a secret summit between Harry and Charles's camps last week sent shockwaves through royal watchers on both side of the pond - especially coming just months after he Duke claimed his father "won't speak to him" because of his failed security battle during a bombshell interview with the BBC.

Alongside tensions heightened by the battle, which sought to overturn a decision that downgraded his security after he moved to the US, Harry caused major friction by making a series of damning accusations in Spare - including branding Queen Camilla "dangerous" and accusing her of "sacrificing him on her personal PR altar".

The Duke did make a hasty return to his father's side after the King's cancer diagnosis was made public last February, but the meeting lasted just 30 minutes before he was sent packing back to the states.

Nonetheless, the latest talks could signal a breakthrough in renewed ties between father and son, with representatives from both sides reportedly agreeing to "open a channel of communication", ahead of Harry's scheduled trip to the UK in September for a charity awards show.