“Let’s pave the way for peace to reign.”The royal family needs to prioritize resolving any internal issues so that peace can prevail within the palace. King Charles must take the initiative to foster reconciliation, allowing positive narratives to emerge about his leadership.

The monarchy needs to be that anchor in times of trouble, and any sense of instability, which is inevitable when you have two of the key players out of action, is understandable,” says Bedell Smith.“This is massively exposing how the royal family has gone from too many people to too few in a short space of time,” adds Mayer.

Despite the distance between Prince Harry and his family, he flew from California to visit his father on Feb. 6, the day after the palace publicly announced the news about the King’s health. However, he did not see his brother, Prince William, or sister-in-law, Princess Kate, during his whirlwind 24 hours in the U.K. The Duke of Sussex has openly spoken about his desire for reconciliation and is thought to have contacted his brother, though there were “no plans” to meet, a palace source said at the time

A former courtier suggests Prince William’s “principal concern is his wife” amid her recuperation, but the lack of interaction highlights the hurt between the brothers.”It would be the normal run of things to go and see your sister-in-law who’s had a serious operation and also see your niece and nephews. But it isn’t normal. It’s terribly sad,” a source close to the royal household tells PEOPLE.Still, there have been some positive developments. According to a palace insider, both King Charles and Prince Harry have taken “baby steps” towards restoring their relationship.

“I’m sure it was emotionally draining for both of them, but it was a step in the right direction. It was a positive move,” the source says of their quick visit. Having flown overnight from L.A., the Duke of Sussex would have liked to spend more than 30 minutes or so together, but he was “grateful to be able to speak directly to his father and show his support for him,” says a source.