A former royal butler says it’s possible that the royals may never appear in public again as a ‘united family’.

Grant Harrold was a personal butler for King Charles at his private residence Highgrove for more than six years.

From 2004 to 2011, he also served Queen Camilla, Princes Harry and William and Kate.

Grant, who has authored a new book called The Royal Butler: My Remarkable Life of Royal Service, talked about the tension between Prince Harry, his wife Meghan Markle, and the other family members in a discussion with the Mirror.

‘We might need to acknowledge the genuine possibility that we could never witness them together as a united family publicly,’ he stated, emphasizing that ‘the situation is quite chaotic at the moment’.

There may yet be a reconciliation, he added, but it could take place behind closed doors.

Grant further mentioned, ‘I believe that families can have disputes and find healing, but things never return to exactly how they were. So yes, a reconciliation is possible, and I can envision Harry returning, but not as part of the Firm as it once was.’

He explained: ‘I don’t see Harry and Meghan ever on the Palace balcony for Trooping the Colour for example, but I can see the family patching things up behind closed doors and working towards the King seeing his grandchildren [Archie and Lilibet].’

HAPPIER TIMES: Members of the Royal Family before the rift was exposed (pictured L-R: King Charles; Prince William; Kate Middleton; Meghan Markle; Prince Harry)

According to the former royal butler, he thinks that a rapprochement behind the scenes is ‘what they’re trying to work toward’, and they the Royal Family may want to be a family away from the spotlight, not necessarily in the eyes of the public. 

He added that he sees King Charles as an ‘exceptionally compassionate man’, and believes the monarch could play an instrumental role in any potential future reconciliation.

Speaking about His Majesty in the past, Grant – who worked for the King and Queen Consort when they were still Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall between 2005 and 2011 – said the monarch displays certain tell-tale signs when he is unhappy.  

The royal insider said that while he never saw the King ‘angry’, he could tell when he was stressed and, to do this day, can tell just by watching the King on television if he is ‘unhappy’.

Speaking during an etiquette event in 2023, he said: ‘There was a documentary I watched a couple of years ago and the interviewer kept asking the same question.

‘You would probably never notice, but I could tell that he had had enough.’ 

While most would not notice the agitated King, the butler said it is clear through his mannerisms and the way he presents himself.

He told The Independent: ‘It’s in his mannerisms. He’ll just suddenly [look left and right], he’ll be fidgeting a little bit and kind of look all around, it’s quite interesting.

Prince Harry (pictured, left) and Prince William (pictured, right) attending the unveiling of a statue of their mother at The Sunken Garden in Kensington Palace in 2021

Grant Harrold (pictured) was a personal butler for King Charles at his private residence Highgrove for more than six years. Between 2004 to 2011, he also served Queen Camilla , Princes Harry and William and Kate Middleton

‘It looks like this, like he’s just getting comfortable [in his chair], but actually he’s not happy.’

In the days following the death of his mother, the King was seen on two occasions getting flustered over a leaking pen, with some onlookers claiming he appeared ‘petulant’.

The first pen mishap came during his proclamation in which he motioned frantically to an aide to move a pen box away from his desk.

The second incident happened while he was sitting at the royal residence of Hillborough Castle in Northern Ireland, when once again appeared flustered by ink dripping as he signed a book towards the end of the visit.

He old royal aides he ‘can’t bear the bloody thing’, adding ‘every stinking time’. as he furiously rubbed the ink away from his fingers.

Reflecting on watching the pen situations, the former butler said: ‘When the Queen died and we saw the pen incident, I really felt for him then.

‘Losing both parents so quickly, and then having to carry on doing stuff in front of people – that was probably the most stressed I’ve ever seen him.’