Meghan Markle's glossy return to Instagram, complete with sun-drenched bike rides, home videos and intimate snaps of Archie and Lilibet may look like just a slick rebrand. 

But behind the soft-focus family footage there may lie a deeper motive.

The Daily Mail's Spotlight has spoken to an insider who claims that the real reason Prince Harry is suddenly happy to see his children's faces shared online is a 'desperate' one.

'Harry is completely heartbroken,' an insider close to the family said. 'His dad refuses to see him or the kids - not even on Zoom... It's a last resort. 

'He's desperately hoping the King might see a picture of Archie or Lilibet and realise what he's missing.'

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The Daily Mail's Spotlight has spoken to an insider who claims that the real reason Prince Harry is suddenly happy to see his children's faces shared online is a 'desperate' one

The insider added that Harry has made repeated attempts to reach out to his father over the years. 'He's tried everything - calls, letters... But nothing's worked,' they said. 'This is his way of saying, 'Look at what you're missing.' 

Until recently, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were fiercely protective of Archie, six, and four-year-old Lili's privacy, keeping them largely out of the public eye.

But in recent weeks, Meghan has embraced a far more open approach, posting unseen family clips, sharing glimpses of their Montecito life, and even twerking while pregnant just before going into labour in a now-viral video.

She spoke about her decision to return to social media and share some of the pair's intimate family moments in a recent Aspire podcast with British entrepreneur Emma Gredge.

She told Emma: 'Did you see my 'Baby Momma' dance? That was four years ago... I'm just grateful that now, being back on social... I can share it on my own terms.'

But while Meghan is focused on leaning into the idea of authenticity and tying this into her lifestyle brand, As Ever, Harry's reasons may be strikingly more personal. His recent BBC interview laid bare the depth of the family rift and his heartbreak.

He recently told the broadcaster in the much-criticised chat that he 'would love a reconciliation' and admitted he was 'devastated' to lose his legal battle over police protection in the UK, but added that the King currently won't speak to him.

But Harry struck an apparently conciliatory tone in the interview. 'There's no point continuing to fight any more,' he said. 'Life is precious.'

'Harry is completely heartbroken,' an insider close to the family said. 'His dad refuses to see him or the kids - not even on Zoom... It's a last resort'

In recent weeks, Meghan has embraced a far more open approach, posting unseen family clips, despite herself and Harry previous attempts to keep their children out of the public eye

He added: 'I don't know how much longer my father has,' in a poignant reference to the King's ongoing cancer treatment. 

The Duke's security case, which has spanned several years, ended in defeat last month when senior judges sided with the government's decision to downgrade his protection after he stepped down as a working royal. 

Harry said the ruling had left him unable to safely return to the UK with his family, unless formally invited.

'I love my country, I always have done,' he said. 'And I think that it's really quite sad that I won't be able to show my children my homeland.'

He described the decision to remove his full security status as a 'good old-fashioned establishment stitch-up', and said he believes the Royal Household influenced the move. 

'I never asked [the King] to intervene,' he said. 'I asked him to step out of the way and let the experts do their jobs.'

Royal experts said at the time that Charles was unable to speak to Harry during the court case for legal reasons.

It's also been suggested that senior royals don't trust the Sussexes to keep any discussion between the two sides private.

While the Duchess moves forward with a smile, sources say the Duke is still in low spirits: not only over his security loss, but over a family breakdown that shows no sign of healing.