After a falling out, returning to his family is not a simple return trip. In May 2025, Prince Harry informed the BBC of his desire to “reconciliation” with his family. The question therefore arises: how to reconnect with loved ones after years of distance and conflicts? Clinical psychologist Amélie Boukhobza explains why this return can be loaded with emotions and why rebuilding the bond requires more than a simple resumption of contact.
Prince Harry and his family, why getting back together after a breakup is so difficult
On January 8, 2020, Harry and Meghan announced their desire to gain independence from the British royal family. After their departure to Canada and then their installation in California, relations with several members of the family deteriorated significantly.
However, rapprochements have recently been observed between the couple and the royal family. On July 10 in particular, Charles III and his wife Camilla received, in London, Harry, Meghan and their two children, Archie and Lilibet, aged 7 and 5, a first in four years.
Despite everything, a possible return could therefore not be considered as a simple change of address. “Coming back when you have been away from your family after a long period of time is always tricky. Because when you move away from your loved ones, it’s never without reason or without pain“, explains Amélie Boukhobza.
Reunions can bring back resentments
The psychologist also emphasizes what reunions can awaken. “The return is just as full of complex emotions, buried resentments, and sometimes barely healed wounds. For Prince Harry, this potential return to the royal fold raises ultimately quite universal questions about the difficulty of renewing family ties after a significant break, especially when one has publicly criticized those close to him“.
In other words, resuming contact does not make the previous years disappear. Grievances remain present and everyone may have experienced the breakup in a different way.
For Harry, as for any person estranged from his family, returning therefore involves looking at what caused the separation rather than acting as if nothing had happened.
Should Prince Harry rebuild trust with his loved ones?
For Amélie Boukhobza, the first step consists of accepting this confrontation with the past. “We cannot simply move on without facing the reasons for the initial estrangement. Unsaid things, anger, and misunderstandings must be addressed as honestly as possible to be defused. Which means not only recognizing the grievances and grievances of others, but also taking responsibility for one’s own actions and words“.
This approach also involves looking at the impact of one’s own behavior on others. “So understand how our actions may have hurt others, even if that was not our initial intention. A successful return begins like this, with a process of forgiveness – not a forced or superficial forgiveness, but a real process of reparation for the offense committed.”
Trust doesn’t come back in a single conversation. You have to accept that the relationship has changed during the breakup period and cannot pick up exactly where it left off.
“This implies accepting the idea of regaining trust and reestablishing a dialogue that is not colored by past grudges.“
The psychologist adds that this requires real listening: “And that means really listening to other family members, without constantly trying to justify yourself or defend your actions at all costs.“
Prince Harry’s return could also change the relationship with the royal family
In Harry’s case, the question of public image adds an additional difficulty. After publicly expressing criticism, returning to family members may require accepting some questioning. “It’s also accepting that relationships will never be the same again, which doesn’t mean that they can’t evolve into something different and perhaps healthier.”.
The relationship can therefore take another form, without trying to erase what happened.
“Once things are said, relationships have the opportunity to become something new, stronger and truer, based on greater understanding.”
How to reconnect with your family after a long breakup?
For people who also want to reconnect with their loved ones, the psychologist summarizes this approach as follows: “The ‘step forward’ for reconnecting family ties is based on a few fundamental principles: patience, open-mindedness, humility, and a sincere desire to repair and transform the pain of the past into a basis for a renewed relationship.
However, she warns that the process remains difficult when the injuries are still present: “It is not an easy path, especially if the wounds are still fresh and the external pressure is intense. But it is possible, especially if both parties are willing to show compassion and effort to understand the other.“