Prince Harry seems to have at least partially repaired his relationship with His Majesty the King, but he and older brother Prince William still have a long way to go, claims expert Jennie Bond
Next year marks the 30th anniversary of Princess Diana’s death, and it’s sure to be a powerfully emotional time for her two sons. There are several memorial events planned, and, as yet, there has been no indication as to whether Prince William and Prince Harry will reunite and stand shoulder-to-shoulder in memory of their mother, or if their bitter estrangement will continue.
“Either scenario will be a drama,” says former BBC Royal correspondent Jennie Bond. Writing in the i newspaper, she adds that while much of Harry’s youthful fury has faded, “the anger smouldering inside William – who is known to be stubborn – could be much harder to extinguish.”
William felt “betrayed” after Harry revealed family secrets in his bombshell memoir Spare, Jennie says, and it will be a “big ask” for Harry to expect his family to forgive and forget.
There has certainly been a thawing of relations between Harry and his father. The prodigal prince met up with King Charles and his stepmother Queen Camilla at Highgrove in Gloucestershire in July, and there are reportedly plans to be coming back to the UK “more and more” over the coming year.
He’s expected be back for a week in September to carry out engagements during the annual WellChild Awards, a UK charity for which he has been a royal patron since 2007. A source close to the prince told The Times that the royal “wants more of a foothold” in the UK, adding that he “always loves” to see his family.
Harry was feeling “buoyed, very happy, and really energised” after the Highgrove reunion. But while Harry, his wife Meghan and their children had a meeting with the King and Queen Camilla at Highgrove, William and Kate were almost 90 miles away at a charity polo match in Windsor.
The brothers are not known to have spoken since the funeral of their late grandmother, the Queen, in September 2022.
Since then, the Prince and Princess of Wales have focused solely on juggling their royal duties with bringing up their three children – while Kate has also faced a cancer diagnosis, treatment, and is now in remission.
Jennie also told the Mirror: “William, as far as we can see, seems set on concentrating on his own family and his work without the angst of dealing with his rift with Harry.
“But, if Harry does start to come to the UK more often and to see their father, it’s going to become increasingly hard for William to ignore the situation.
“Could Catherine perhaps act as peacemaker? Well, maybe. But only if she is satisfied that it is something William wants. At this stage, there is absolutely no indication that this is the case. However, circumstances and feelings can change with time and so, as I always say, ‘never say never’.”
And while Harry is hoping for a public reunion with his father at next year’s Invictus Games, many believe it could push the King into a difficult position when it comes to his still-warring sons.

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