Prince Harry and Prince William are reportedly not on speaking terms, despite the Duke of Sussex's return to the UK with Meghan and their children. Relations between the Prince of Wales and Duke of Sussex are understood to have been strained since before Harry's wedding to Meghan Markle in 2018.
No communication since move to Montecito
After the duke's exit as a senior working royal and his move to Montecito, California, with his wife in 2020, the siblings are widely believed to have stopped all communication. Despite Harry and Meghan's return to the UK with their two children, Archie and Lilibet, in August, there have been no indications the brothers have reconciled, with the pair thought to remain estranged.
Following Harry and Meghan's decision in 2020, the couple pledged to achieve financial independence. They launched their own Netflix series, Finding Freedom, which explored their experiences as working royals. The pair also participated in several high-profile interviews, including with Oprah Winfrey, during which they made a number of claims about their time within the royal family. Harry subsequently released his memoir, Spare.
New life in Britain
However, they have now relocated back to the UK, where they are residing in a non-royal residence outside of London. Archie and Lilibet are currently enrolled at their second British school, after Meghan and Harry's security personnel expressed concerns regarding the commute to their original choice.
The couple appear to be adjusting well to their new life in Britain, with Meghan posting an endearing video showcasing the family's activities on Instagram. The footage featured the foursome enjoying woodland strolls, Meghan leaping into puddles, Lilibet cycling while Archie jogged alongside, and Harry angling at a pond with his youngsters.
The duke has also attended the WellChild Awards, a cause particularly meaningful to him and an engagement he returned to each year during his time in America. Harry delivered a heartfelt speech on stage. Separately, Meghan met Ellen DeGeneres, a fellow US ex-pat who has also moved to the UK, at a traditional British country pub.
Strained relations with William
While Harry is understood to have repaired relations with his father, King Charles, through multiple trips back to the UK, the situation with his elder brother appears rather different. William and Catherine are reportedly determined to steer clear of any "drama" connected to the Sussex family's homecoming. It's a marked departure from the initial period of Harry's romance with Meghan, when the two couples were christened the Fab Four.
However, tensions between the quartet were already emerging as early as 2018. In the biography William and Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story, Mirror royal editor Russell Myers reveals how the Duke of Sussex was "incredulous" when his request for royal protection for Meghan ahead of their 2018 wedding was refused. He reportedly believed there was "one rule for him and another for me" following revelations that the now Princess of Wales had received unofficial palace guidance upon starting her relationship with William and was provided with round-the-clock security immediately upon their engagement.
Harry urgently sought measures to safeguard his then fiancée after she became subjected to social media targeting, and was incensed upon learning that any protection would only be provided following their marriage. His father, Charles, maintained he was unable to intervene as it constituted a governmental matter, despite the support previously extended to Kate.
Even the Princess of Wales, long seen as the voice of reason between William and Harry, proved less enthusiastic than her husband about encouraging her brother and sister-in-law to reconsider their decision to quit, Myers writes. Kate reportedly viewed the decision as "inevitable" while William was "saddened" by the events.
