Efforts to reconcile Prince Harry with members of the royal family have gained traction in recent weeks, but royal aides and commentators say the most formidable obstacle remains his fractured relationship with Prince William, rooted in past public criticisms of Catherine, Princess of Wales.
A discreet meeting held at the Royal Over-Seas League in London, involving top representatives from both Prince Harry's and King Charles's communications teams, has fueled speculation that a detente between father and son may be imminent. The session included Harry's U.K. PR chief Liam Maguire and chief communications officer Meredith Maines, along with Tobyn Andreae, communications secretary to the King.
However, Prince William's aides were conspicuously absent from the meeting, highlighting the lingering divide between the brothers. Royal biographer Hugo Vickers told The Sun, "It's much more difficult because the barbs were sent in his direction from Prince Harry, but very much directed towards Catherine. That is very insulting, and I think William is likely to be more of an unforgiving person than his father."
The rift stems largely from remarks made in Harry's memoir Spare, published in January 2023, which chronicled private disputes between Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle, including claims that Kate made Meghan cry over a disagreement about bridesmaid dresses for their 2018 wedding. The memoir also alleged Kate had been forced to "compete" with Meghan in the public eye, further escalating tensions.
The Duke of Sussex added to the friction during a 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, in which Meghan claimed that Kate had upset her and accused an unnamed royal of speculating about Prince Archie's skin color. Harry also described a 2019 altercation with William that turned physical-an allegation that has never been publicly addressed by the Prince of Wales.
Although Harry has expressed a desire to reconcile-telling the BBC in May that he "would love a reconciliation" and was concerned about his father's health-the damage with William appears deeper. "I think at the moment, if I was advising Prince Harry, I would say, get onto good terms with your father as soon as possible, and then that's step one, and step two, try to get on good terms with your brother," Vickers said.
The Sussex camp reportedly approved the meeting with Charles's aides but expressed dismay when photos of the summit-held on a balcony just three minutes from Clarence House-were published. "Very odd to have a meeting on a balcony if it's meant to be private," Vickers noted, suggesting that the leak may have come from Harry's side, a claim the Sussexes have denied.
William and Harry have not spoken directly since Queen Elizabeth II's funeral in September 2022. While brief greetings occurred during ceremonial events, there has been no meaningful interaction between the brothers since the publication of Spare.
Harry's upcoming visit to the U.K. in September could mark his first meeting with the King in 18 months, contingent on progress made through their teams. But whether William is prepared to take part remains uncertain. According to royal observers, his reluctance is driven less by political calculation and more by loyalty to his wife.
