The British Royal Family was once perceived as a united front, with Prince William and his younger brother, Prince Harry, seen as particularly close. However, that perception began to unravel over the years, especially after Prince Harry’s marriage to Meghan Markle. While the public may hope for a reconciliation, those close to the royals suggest…
The British Royal Family was once perceived as a united front, with Prince William and his younger brother, Prince Harry, seen as particularly close.
However, that perception began to unravel over the years, especially after Prince Harry’s marriage to Meghan Markle.
While the public may hope for a reconciliation, those close to the royals suggest that the chances of it happening are increasingly slim because key issues are standing in the way of a royal reunion.
The reasons reveal the depth of the ongoing division.
How Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Relationship with the Royal Family Frayed Over Time
The strain between Prince Harry and the Royal Family, especially with his brother Prince William, has been growing for years. What began as a close relationship between siblings gradually turned into a significant rift. The feud became complicated with personal, familial, and public challenges.
By 2019, it became evident that Harry’s relationship with the rest of the Royal Family, especially with William, had reached a breaking point.
Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, at the Commonwealth Service on Commonwealth Day at Westminster Abbey on March 11, 2019, in London, England. | Source: Getty Images
It was an especially challenging year for Harry and his wife, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. The couple faced relentless media scrutiny, which took an emotional toll on them.
Meghan candidly revealed that she experienced severe emotional distress due to continuous criticism from the British tabloids, which, according to Harry, included a racial element.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex during a walkabout as they visited a new sculpture in Hamilton Square on January 14, 2019. | Source: Getty Images
Reflecting on the trauma of losing his mother, Princess Diana, at a young age, Harry said, “Yes, I feared, I feared a lot that the end result, the fact that I lost my mum when I was 12 years old, could easily happen again to my wife.”
By the end of that year, it was evident that he and William were on diverging paths. Tensions between them came to a head when Harry recalled a specific incident at his Kensington Palace residence, highlighting just how deep the divide had become.
Prince William and Prince Harry at the annual Remembrance Sunday memorial at The Cenotaph on November 10, 2019, in London, England. | Source: Getty Images
According to Harry, during a heated argument in early 2019, William, in a moment of frustration, physically attacked him. The confrontation escalated from shouting to physical aggression, resulting in Harry being knocked to the floor, where he fell on a dog bowl.
For Harry, the altercation wasn’t just a typical brotherly spat — it was a defense of his wife, as William had aimed his frustrations at Meghan.
Harry said William had been influenced by members of his office and the tabloid press’s portrayal of Meghan. The British media’s focus on Meghan’s background — being American, biracial, divorced, and an actress — only deepened the Royal Family’s initial reservations.
Prince Harry felt many of the stories his brother believed were baseless, yet they contributed to the growing animosity between the brothers.
Prince William and Prince Harry during the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey on September 19, 2022 in London, England. | Source: Getty Images
When Harry introduced Meghan to the Royal Family in 2016, their reception was not as warm as he had hoped. While King Charles III, then the Prince of Wales, appeared to like Meghan, William was reportedly skeptical.
He is said to have referred to her dismissively as “an American actress,” and over time, the brothers grew more distant. When Meghan and Harry decided to step back from their royal duties in early 2020, it became clear that the rift had deepened significantly.
The Sussexes’ departure from royal life surprised the public and reportedly caught William off guard, further adding to his frustration. The brothers, once united by the loss of their mother, were now on very different paths.
While Prince William prepared for his future role as king, Harry sought a life away from the royal spotlight, prioritizing his family’s well-being over royal obligations.
In his 2021 memoir, “Spare,” Harry reflected on his relationship with William, describing a meeting where he noticed how much his brother had changed over the years.”
Despite his observations, Harry maintained that he loved his brother and had no intention of harming him with his words. He wanted to set the record straight, stressing that Meghan was not to blame for the breakdown of their relationship.
However, despite these sentiments, communication between the brothers remained limited. When Harry spoke in a 2023 interview with Anderson Cooper, he confirmed that he and William were not on speaking terms.
The strained relationship extended to his father, with Harry admitting they had not spoken in a while. While William reportedly expressed a willingness to mend their relationship, he had made no significant moves toward reconciliation. Instead, he seemed in no rush to repair the fractured family ties.
“William wants his relationship with his brother to improve, but they’re not speaking right now. So, when that will happen is still uncertain,” a source shared in 2023. Meanwhile, Princess Kate has also shown little interest in re-establishing a relationship with Harry or Meghan.
Insiders reported that the Princess of Wales was not keen on communicating with the Sussexes, believing that too much had happened to make reconciliation possible.
Why Won’t William and Kate Welcome Harry and Meghan Back
While some have hoped for a reunion between William, Kate, Harry, and Meghan, the reality is more complex. The strain in their relationship isn’t merely about bruised egos or sibling rivalry; it stems from deeper, unresolved issues that continuously keep the families apart.
Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, during their Colombia tour on August 18, 2024. | Source: Getty Images
The first cited reason for William and Kate’s unwillingness to welcome them back is that Harry continues supporting his wife, with whom he is happily married. This situation is complicated further by Meghan’s past claim during her 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey that Kate once made her cry.
