As Prince Harry prepares to return to the United Kingdom for a church service celebrating the tenth anniversary of the Invictus Games, friends of Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales, have revealed that the couple has no intention of meeting with the Duke of Sussex during his visit.
The decision, according to sources close to the royal couple, stems from a deep sense of betrayal following the publication of Harry's memoir, "Spare," and a desire to protect Kate as she recovers from cancer, as reported by the Daily Beast.
"Both sides understand each other's position clearly now," a friend of William and Kate shared with The Daily Beast. "William and Catherine felt completely betrayed by Harry's memoir. They don't speak to Harry and Meghan, and they are certainly not about to start when Catherine is at her most vulnerable."
The revelation comes amid speculation that Harry would attempt to reconnect with his brother and sister-in-law during his upcoming trip. Royal author Tom Quinn had previously suggested that, given Kate's cancer diagnosis, Harry would "certainly make efforts to see his brother and Kate when he returns to the U.K. in May." However, friends of the Prince and Princess of Wales have made it clear that a reconciliation is not on the cards.
The rift between the once "close-knit" siblings has been well-documented, with tensions reportedly dating back to a dispute between Meghan Markle and Kate over Princess Charlotte's bridesmaid dress just before the Sussexes' wedding in 2018. "That rift about the dress started a feud that has never been resolved," a royal insider claimed.
Since then, the relationship between the two couples has deteriorated further, with a mutual friend of the royal brothers stating that Harry is now "just another person who sold his story to the papers." The friend, who has not spoken to Harry since he left Britain in 2020, added, "A 'get well soon' message is neither here nor there. But the whole situation doesn't use up a huge amount of their mental energy anymore. William and Kate have accepted it and moved on. Cancer puts things in perspective."
The friend also noted that William respects his father, King Charles III's wish to reconcile with his son, but that the Prince of Wales' focus is now on protecting his family from stressful situations. This sentiment was echoed by a palace insider, who revealed that William and Kate find it challenging to defend themselves against the constant allegations and petty stories planted by Harry and Meghan.
Official sources at the palace did not respond to requests for comment regarding potential meetings between family members and Harry during his visit. However, it is believed that Harry is required to give 28 days notice of trips to the U.K. to allow for security planning, following his recent loss in a court case against the government seeking automatic police protection on British soil.
After the church service in the U.K., Harry is scheduled to travel to Nigeria for another Invictus event, where he will be joined by his wife, Meghan Markle, who is not accompanying him to the U.K. The trip to Nigeria has been dubbed an "unofficial royal tour" by some commentators, as Meghan revealed in 2022 that she had discovered she has 43 percent Nigerian heritage.
While a meeting between Harry and his father, King Charles III, is considered more likely than a reconciliation with William and Kate, the situation remains complex. Harry's criticism of Queen Camilla in his memoir, accusing her of leaking stories about him and William to ingratiate herself with the media, has strained his relationship with his stepmother. Both Charles and Camilla's friends have spoken openly about the hurt caused by Harry's comments.
