Prince Harry is set to begin a trip to the UK today, and while a reunion with King Charles may be on the table, the same cannot be said for Prince William
Prince Harry will begin his latest trip to the UK today, which will coincide with the third anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s death.
While Harry is expected to potentially have a long overdue reunion with his father King Charles during his rare trip to UK shores, it is extremely unlikely that the Duke of Sussex will see his estranged brother, Prince William.
Despite an olive branch being extended between the Sussex camp and the Firm earlier this year when senior aides to both Harry and Charles met in London, Prince William is said to have firmly declined any potential reunion with his brother after years of public jabs between the two princes.
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A source told the Mirror that the years-long onslaught of highly-publicised allegations about the royal family from Harry over the years has led to serious trust issues between the brothers, with a potential meeting between William and Harry in the coming weeks being “rejected out of hand”.
The source said: “William feels Harry has repeatedly chosen public exposure over private resolution and that the Royal Family can’t keep being dragged into the headlines every time there’s a new contract to promote.”
They added: “The issue with Harry, as well as Meghan, is one of trust. Ever since moving to North America, they have eroded all confidence in their ability to keep things or their criticisms private. For there to be any chance of moving forward, that trust has to be rebuilt, and Team Sussex knows the onus is on them.”
According to the well-placed source, relations between Harry and William remain deeply strained. Their relationship has become almost non-existent since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle left the Firm in 2020, leaving their royal duties behind to start a new life in California.
After their shocking departure, a series of very public jabs at the royal family came from the Sussexes, with their explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021, their Netflix docuseries in 2022, and Harry’s memoir Spare in 2023.
In Harry’s own admission, the prince told the BBC in May that some of his family “may never forgive” him for his seemingly endless spate of allegations against them.
Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond also weighed in on Harry and William’s relationship in light of the Duke of Sussex’s trip to the UK, as she told the Mirror that while Harry may reach out to some members of the royal family during his trip, he is unlikely to try and contact his brother.
She said: “Harry may well see some of his cousins – such as Eugenie or Beatrice – but I don’t think there’s any likelihood of a meeting with William or Catherine. The rift between the brothers remains too deep and William has far too much going on in his life to worry about the Harry problem.
“I would never say never in a family dispute. As the years roll by, it may be that William will find a way to reconcile with Harry. But that day – if it ever comes, and it may not – is not any time soon.”
Despite William’s refusal to see his brother, King Charles has reportedly agreed to see his youngest son for the first time in almost two years on his rare trip to the UK.
A US source told the Mirror : “It’s clear there is now a determination on both sides to make this happen. Nobody is pretending the wider family issues have been resolved, but this is about beginning with Charles and Harry. For the first time in a long time, there’s a genuine sense that reconciliation is within reach.”
They continued: “After 20 months apart, and with the King continuing his treatment, the feeling is that the time is right to take that step. This is not about grand gestures or set-piece meetings – it’s about a simple face-to-face conversation between a father and his son. The priority is privacy and dignity, but also ensuring the door stays open for further dialogue.”