Princess Kate Middleton has made a private pledge to King Charles III to help reunite the royal family and bring Prince Harry back into the fold-a secret pact that palace insiders say could risk her marriage to Prince William. Multiple royal sources reveal that Kate has promised Charles she will "do everything she can to bring everyone together," believing that "time is running out" for the monarch and the family's bitter divisions.
King Charles, 76, who is continuing treatment for cancer, is reportedly relying on the Princess of Wales to broker peace, even as Prince William remains "staunchly opposed" to any reconciliation with his estranged brother. According to one source, "Charles has had enough of the fighting. He wants Harry back in the fold before it's too late, and he sees Kate as the key to making that happen. William isn't on board, but Charles believes Kate can change his mind."
The revelation comes as Buckingham Palace quietly revises funeral arrangements for the King, codenamed Operation Menai Bridge, which are said to include a prominent role for Harry and Meghan Markle, as well as their children Archie, six, and Lilibet, four. The plans would see the Sussexes join the London procession, family vigil, and funeral service alongside senior royals, despite their 2020 exit from royal duties and relocation to California.
Insiders say Kate's bond with King Charles has deepened in recent years, strengthened by their parallel battles with cancer. In January 2024, both were treated at the same London clinic and later shared a private lunch at Windsor, where Charles is said to have had an "emotional" heart-to-heart with his daughter-in-law. The King subsequently praised Kate for her "courage in speaking as she did" when she went public with her diagnosis. "Kate sends him care packages and checks in on him constantly," one insider said. "Charles respects her more than anyone else in the family. He sees her as the glue holding them together."
Still, tensions remain high within the royal family. Feuds trace back to the lead-up to Harry and Meghan's 2018 wedding, with conflicting accounts about whether Meghan or Kate was brought to tears during preparations. The release of Harry's memoir, Spare, in 2023 intensified the conflict, with Harry alleging that William physically attacked him and called Meghan "difficult, rude and abrasive."
In a recent interview after losing his court bid for U.K. taxpayer-funded security, Harry stated: "I don't know how much longer my father has [left]. It would be nice to reconcile." Sources close to Harry insist he is "ready to make peace," but say William remains resistant. "Harry is ready to make peace. He knows the clock is ticking. Kate believes he and William will regret it forever if they don't fix this now," one source added.
A senior royal insider described the funeral plans as a "step in the right direction," with Charles hoping Kate can smooth things over with William. The source continued, "Charles has realized it's important to cherish every moment, and doesn't want to live the rest of his life without speaking to Harry again. Kate has promised Charles she'll do everything she can to bring everyone together. They both feel confident William will be won over in the end."
