Prince William is reportedly "more determined than ever" to cut ties with his brother Prince Harry following the Duke of Sussex's first reunion with King Charles in 19 months, signaling a deepening rift at the heart of the royal family despite renewed speculation about reconciliation.
Harry, 40, met with King Charles, 76, for a private tea at Clarence House last week during a four-day visit to the U.K., which Buckingham Palace later confirmed lasted just under an hour. When asked by reporters afterward, Harry described the meeting as "great," fueling hopes among some royal watchers that a thaw might be possible.
Those hopes appear to have had the opposite effect on the Prince of Wales, 43. "William is back at the point where if you mention Prince Harry in his presence he would throw you out of the room," a royal insider told RadarOnline.com. "He's doubling down." Another source quoted by the Daily Mail said William is "infuriated" that Harry "has pulled off a 12-month 'master plan' to re-ingratiate himself."
William's stance reportedly hardened after observing Harry's schedule of public engagements and charitable appearances during the visit, which one source said demonstrated "what a great loss he is to the Royal Family." Instead of softening, the trip has "opened old wounds which had been allowed to lie dormant but never fully heal," according to another insider.
Royal biographer Tina Brown said last week that King Charles is "less irritated" by Harry than by William amid tensions over the Prince of Wales' workload. There are reports that some within the Palace believe William's diary of engagements has been relatively light even as his father continues duties while undergoing cancer treatment.
Sources close to the situation say Harry's ultimate goal is to secure a public gesture of acceptance from his father. "Harry would one day like his father to encourage the nation to accept him back again," one insider said, adding that Harry sees parallels with the late Queen Elizabeth II's endorsement of Camilla as Queen Consort.
The brothers' strained relationship dates back years and has been punctuated by public and private confrontations, including a 2019 altercation at Nottingham Cottage where Harry has claimed William shoved him to the floor, breaking a dog bowl.
Palace aides are reportedly concerned that William's renewed hostility could harm his own wellbeing. "For some time now William's anger had cooled to the point of indifference over his brother, which was healthy for his mental wellbeing," a separate insider said. "It can't be good that William has gone back to the point where he would throw someone out at the very mention of Harry's name."
