Royal author Omid Scobie has claimed the difficult relationship between Prince Harry and his father, King Charles, has improved in recent months, but the same reconciliation may never happen between Harry and his brother, Prince William.
Documentary claims
Speaking in a preview clip for the new Disney+ documentary about Harry and Meghan's return to Britain, titled Harry & Meghan: The Return of the Prince, Scobie said: “I think we've seen with Charles things have moved forward and that iciness has thawed out. There's a warmth there. With William, I don't see it will ever change.”
He added: “There's always this talk of Kate potentially being the peacekeeper, the one that could bring the two brothers together. If I've learned anything over the years from covering them, it's that Kate has very little to do with that relationship between the brothers.”
The documentary heard from several royal commentators, experts and reporters to discuss the ramifications of Harry and Meghan's return to the UK after six years in California.
Return to the UK
Scobie also commented on the Sussexes' return to Harry's home country the day they touched down at Birmingham Airport, claiming the couple 'relate to Britain differently' after their years in America.
On his Substack, called Off Script, he shared that he was told in 2023 that California was ‘not destined to be the only base’ for Harry and Meghan, and that moving to the UK makes sense for the next phase of their lives.
Scobie wrote: “It was the right home for that chapter of their lives, but their children's education and evolving priorities would shape what came next - including where they chose to live, and for how long.”
Personal reflection
Scobie reflected on his own experiences under the spotlight as a result of his friendship with the Duke and Duchess, and how he also moved from London to California in 2023, three years after Harry and Meghan. He said: “Leaving somewhere and returning to it later are not contradictory acts.”
“Sometimes distance is what reshapes the relationship. The place you come from can mean something different in your forties or fifties than it did in your twenties or thirties, after years away and as priorities shift.”
He added: “Harry and Meghan themselves are not the same people who left. They are older, raising two children, building businesses and careers independent of royal life, and relate to Britain differently than they once did.”
The author was dubbed a ‘Sussex cheerleader’ as he became a leading authority on their relationship and their departure from royal life. Alongside Carolyn Durand, he co-authored the 2020 book Finding Freedom, a biography which chronicled the Sussexes’ lives and outlined their many frustrations with the Firm. He also wrote the 2023 book Endgame: Inside the Royal Family and the Monarchy's Fight for Survival.
