Prince Harry must accept his mistakes and show humility before he can end his long-standing rift with Prince William, a psychiatrist has warned.
Max Pemberton, a British medical doctor and Daily Mail columnist, said geographical proximity will not solve the issues between the brothers. He argued that, in cases of family estrangement, living near each other often makes the separation "harder to ignore" rather than leading to reconciliation.
Return to the UK
The warning comes after the Sussexes announced their return to the UK at the end of August. Royal experts have agreed that Prince William must be furious about the comeback, and Dr Pemberton expects a negative reaction from the heir to the throne unless Harry takes a specific step.
Writing for the paper, Dr Pemberton explained: "Once there are birthdays and Christmases in the same country, once there are cousins who want to see one another, remaining estranged becomes more complicated."
"It is uncomfortable for everyone involved, but – handled right – it is also, in my experience, the thing most likely to shift a long-standing falling-out."
Father's welcome
Dr Pemberton described how Harry's return was welcomed by King Charles despite the "great hurt" the Sussexes have caused the family, including their silence when Catherine was seriously ill and the King was being treated for cancer. In the doctor's view, Charles' benevolence reveals the unconditional love a father can have for his son.
But he also highlighted the "prodigal son that gets easily overlooked: the elder brother" – in this case, the "furious" William. Dr Pemberton thinks his anger is "perfectly justified: years of service, never once disobedient, and never so much as a young goat to celebrate with his friends. Then the younger son waltzes back in and is received with open arms."
Making amends
Drawing on his practice, Dr Pemberton argues that the only way out of the deeply rooted resentment is for Harry to throw his ego away and accept his mistakes.
He concluded: "Whatever welcome Harry receives from his brother will have to be earned and that means accepting the hurt and upset he has caused."
"The situations I have witnessed over the years have made me realise that there always needs to be a mea culpa, some humility and acknowledgment of what has been done. If Harry is going to be welcomed back, he must realise he has caused a lot of people upset and make amends for this. Then we might be more inclined to celebrate his return."
