Simon Vigar has opened up on what the Royal Family could have been had Megxit never occurred

Prince Harry's return to the United Kingdom for a string of solo charity engagements last year was a deliberate demonstration of the value he and the Duchess of Sussex could have brought to the monarchy, according to veteran broadcaster Simon Vigar.

Speaking exclusively to GB News ahead of the publication of his new book, The Four Wives of Windsor: The Inside Story of the Power Behind the Crown, the Channel 5 royal correspondent reflected on the Duke of Sussex's ongoing commitment to his British patronages despite stepping down as a senior working royal.

Mr Vigar, who has reported on the Royal Family since 1997, addressed whether the duke is still attempting to maintain a hybrid role combining private enterprise with public service.

While acknowledging that the couple’s recent international tours have been independently organised, he pointed to Prince Harry’s recent UK itinerary as a direct reminder of his former official duties.

“[Their tours are] privately funded rather than taxpayer funded, but I did think that in September last year, when he did that week of engagements here, it was like Harry back to his best,” Mr Vigar exclusively told GB News.

During a solo trip in September 2025, Prince Harry spent several days carrying out high-profile public appearances in England.

On September 8, he attended the 20th anniversary WellChild Awards in London, an event he regularly supports as the national charity's patron of 17 years.

During the ceremony, the duke presented the Award for Inspirational Child and delivered a speech honouring the resilience of seriously ill children and their caregivers.

The following day, he travelled to Nottingham to revisit the Community Recording Studio, a group he had previously visited in 2019.

During this engagement, Prince Harry announced a major financial donation to BBC Children in Need to support local programmes focused on tackling youth violence.

Mr Vigar cited these specific charity visits as prime examples of the duke operating effectively within his traditional sphere of influence.

“Going to the community radio station in Nottingham, Wellchild awards, which he always does,” Mr Vigar said.

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“It was a case of him saying, ‘Look at what you're missing.’”

In January 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex originally proposed a half-in, half-out model that would allow them to earn their own private income in North America while continuing to carry out official duties on behalf of the late Queen Elizabeth II.

The arrangement was firmly rejected by the Royal Family during negotiations at the Sandringham Summit, resulting in the couple's complete withdrawal from the working monarchy and their permanent relocation to California.

Reflecting on the breakdown of those structural negotiations and the couple's subsequent departure from the United Kingdom, Mr Vigar expressed regret over the missed potential for the modern institution.

“Harry and Meghan could have been transformative," he concluded.

"The whole thing is so sad, and so it was so avoidable, but egos got in the way.”