Prince Harry is not believed to have reconciled with the Prince and Princess of Wales following his return to the UK with Meghan Markle and their two children, Archie and Lilibet. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex returned to Britain six years after stepping down as senior working royals and relocating to Montecito, California.
Harry once described Kate as like the sister he had never had, but after years of tensions between the Sussexes and the rest of the royal family, their relationship has fractured beyond belief.
Return to the UK
Since returning, Harry attended the WellChild Awards and made an emotional speech on stage, while Meghan met fellow American ex-pat Ellen DeGeneres in a country pub. The duchess also shared a social media video showing the family's activities, including walks in the woods, Harry fishing with the children, and Lilibet riding her bike while Archie ran alongside.
Archie and Lilibet have started at their second school since moving across the Atlantic, after Harry and Meghan's security team raised concerns about the journey to their first choice.
Strained relations
While Harry is believed to have built bridges with his father, King Charles, on previous visits, his relationship with his brother William is not thought to have improved since Megxit. The Prince and Princess of Wales are said to be keen to avoid any "drama" surrounding the Sussexes' return and are focused on "looking to the future".
Sources close to the Princess of Wales revealed she was left "baffled" by Harry's personal attacks but was unruffled because she was "totally immersed" in her work "to take much notice". It has also been claimed Kate was less keen than William to persuade Harry and Meghan to remain within the royal fold when they announced their plans, feeling their decision was "inevitable", while William was "saddened".
Past tensions
Tensions between the couples, once dubbed the Fab Four, are thought to have been strained since before the Sussexes' wedding in 2018. It has long been reported that Kate and Meghan had a disagreement over Princess Charlotte's bridesmaid dress. In his memoir Spare, Harry refuted claims Kate was left in tears, instead claiming it was Meghan who cried, with Kate later apologising and giving Meghan flowers and a card.
The Sussexes also gave differing accounts of William and Kate's initial reaction to Harry's relationship with Meghan. In their engagement interview, Harry said William and Catherine were "longing" to meet her. But in their Netflix series, Meghan described the first meeting as "jarring", recalling she was in ripped jeans and barefoot. Harry's memoir also noted the "marked difference" in how the two women dressed, with Meghan in ripped jeans and barefoot and Kate "done up to the nines".
