The list of people who wanted familial reconciliation amongst the royal family via the route of King Charles’ cancer diagnosis numbers exactly zero, but since the diagnosis happened, couldn’t we all just (finally) get along?
Well, in short? It appears no.
In a continuing spate of unfortunate news from the royal family this week (or, really, this month), People reports that Prince Harry—who touched down in the U.K. today just one day after news of his father’s cancer diagnosis broke—has no plans to see his older brother Prince William, with whom he has been feuding with for years.
Harry left from LAX yesterday afternoon and landed in London earlier today. He then traveled to Clarence House, the longtime London residence of Charles, and visited with his father there; it is unknown where Harry is staying in London (as he no longer uses Frogmore Cottage as his U.K. home) and how long he will be in the U.K.
It is believed Harry’s last in-person meetup with his father was for the King’s Coronation last May. Harry was in the U.K. briefly for an engagement in September, en route to his Invictus Games in Dusseldorf, Germany, but isn't believed to have seen his father at that time.
Harry’s wife Meghan Markle and their children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet stayed behind in California as Harry traveled yesterday. A source close to the royal household told People that it was “good” that Harry was coming to visit his father, and added “Hopefully [Harry] will bring the grandchildren at some point, too, as that would be lovely for all of them.”
Though he has already seen his father—with whom, like his brother, Harry has had tensions with recently—a royal source said there are “no plans” for William and Harry to see one another. William, in addition to getting back into royal duties, is also caring for his wife, Princess Kate, as she recovers from abdominal surgery.
Endgame author Omid Scobie said last fall that, nearly a year after Spare’s publication in January 2023 (the memoir celebrated its first anniversary on January 10), “absolutely nothing has changed,” as far as the relationship between William and Harry. (Read: it’s still ice cold.) The relationship has turned to something perhaps even more dangerous and damaging than hatred: indifference.
“I saw Harry’s release of Spare as his last attempt at telling his family how he’s felt for years,” Scobie said. “Because clearly there’s never been an open enough forum to have these conversations or share these feelings.”
So, yeah, we (unfortunately) shouldn’t hold our collective breath for this upsetting news to be the bridge that unites brothers once more. The Mirror reports that, while Harry would have “gladly accepted” an opportunity to meet up with his brother, that appears to not be happening.
“The Duke’s primary reason to travel to the U.K. is to visit his father,” a source close to Harry said, per The Mirror. “If the opportunity were to arise to see the Prince of Wales, then the Duke would have gladly accepted it.”
As for William, a source close to him said, per The Mirror, “The prince’s main focus is for his wife, who is recovering from surgery, his three children, and now, his father. There are no plans for Harry’s visit to act as some kind of vehicle for reconciliation.”
