Will Meghan and Harry Split? Inside the Royal Family’s Reported Contingency Plan

Royal rumor mill time: the latest chatter says Prince Harry might be eyeing a return to the U.K., and that possibility is apparently making waves behind the scenes — and at home.

The spark that set this off

Per RadarOnline's reporting, Harry, 40, recently met his father, King Charles III — their first face-to-face in about 19 months, and it happened in the wake of the king's cancer diagnosis. Being back in that world seems to have reminded Harry what his old life felt like: the spotlight, the charity work, the whole routine. Meghan Markle, 44, allegedly sees all of this as him slipping into old family dynamics again and is not thrilled about any talk of uprooting from California. One source says she's extremely upset at the idea of moving, which is where the split speculation starts to creep in.

"The palace is quietly drawing up contingency plans in the event of a split. The thought is that Harry might push for a return to the U.K., but Meghan won't want to come back from the U.S. — and that schism is potentially dangerous."

What the palace is reportedly planning (just in case)

According to those same insiders, courtiers have kicked around a "golden handshake" for Meghan — essentially a settlement that's more generous than you might think but tightly structured. The big condition would be a strict gag clause to prevent any more leaks about private royal matters, the implication being that the institution wants to avoid a replay of the 90s tabloid wars.

One notable piece of that plan: Meghan would get to keep using her Duchess of Sussex title. The thinking is that stripping it would start a media firestorm, so this would be a face-saving compromise.

The kids are the center of it

Another angle insiders are floating: if Harry did return, it would only be with solid safety guarantees for the children. Behind closed doors, aides are said to be focused on mapping out Archie and Lilibet's lives in detail to prevent a public custody war. That reportedly includes:

• Schooling and where they would live
• Custody arrangements and travel permissions
• All agreed through age 18 to keep things orderly and protect the monarchy's image

Worth noting: palace staff are reportedly very aware that if it looks like Harry is being blocked from coming home, public sympathy could swing hard in his favor — and that narrative would be tough to manage.

Joss Stone adds a little color

Singer Joss Stone — who performed at the WellChild Awards where Harry presented an award — says she and Harry talked about British schools and community, and that he sounded genuinely warm on the idea of raising kids around family and a strong local support system. The read-between-the-lines version: he would love to bring his children back to the U.K., if safety is watertight.

The messier, more personal rumors

This is where it gets tabloid-y, so salt shakers out. RadarOnline's sources claim intimacy has been thin since the couple's second child was born, describing Harry and Meghan as operating more like colleagues or co-parents than a couple. There are also claims Harry is using hair-loss medication with side effects like headaches, mood swings, and sexual dysfunction — a trade-off he's allegedly fine with if it helps him keep his hair. Friends, the report says, think he's prioritizing looks over libido. On top of that, one camp insists Harry wants more kids while Meghan is firm that two is enough — which, if true, would be a pretty fundamental disagreement.

Counterpoint: Harry was solidly in Meghan's corner during the backlash over her Paris Fashion Week video, so there's still some unity in the public-facing moments.

Where this leaves them

Another insider suggests Harry has been rethinking how their royal exit went down and that the whole saga has weighed on him. Big picture, though: none of this is confirmed, and it's all being whispered through "insiders" and palace-watchers. If Harry's pull toward the U.K. grows while Meghan stays planted in the U.S., that's a real fault line. Whether it widens or gets patched up — that's the story to watch.

What do you think: heading toward a split, or just a rough patch with a lot of noise? Drop your take below.