The Prince and Princess of Wales have indicated they are "looking to the future" while steering clear of any "drama" surrounding the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's return to the UK. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle touched down in Britain in August, six years after their dramatic departure from senior royal duties and subsequent relocation to Montecito in California.
Sussexes' return to British life
Their aim was achieving financial independence, which they pursued through several prominent interviews discussing their royal experiences. The pair also featured in their own Netflix series, Finding Freedom, while Harry released his autobiography, Spare.
Now they've returned to the UK with their children, Archie and Lilibet, who are now attending their second school following concerns raised by the family's security personnel regarding the commute to and from their initial choice.
Harry also made an appearance at the WellChild Awards, delivering a moving address, while Meghan rendezvoused at a countryside pub with fellow American celebrity, Ellen Degeneres, reports the Daily Star.
Strained relations with the royals
However, despite the Sussex family readjusting to British life, relations with the royal family appear to remain strained. Harry is understood to have made some progress in reconciling with his father, King Charles, during earlier UK visits, though tensions reportedly persist with his elder brother, Prince William.
These difficulties are believed to predate Harry and Meghan's grand wedding ceremony in Windsor in 2018. In his autobiography, Spare, the Duke of Sussex recounts a significant confrontation between himself and William at Nottingham Cottage in London, the residence he shared with Meghan.
Harry alleges the Prince of Wales described the duchess as "rude" and "difficult". The duke further claims the dispute intensified when William seized him by the collar, tearing his necklace, and knocked him into a dog bowl, smashing it. Those close to William have characterised Harry's version of events as "overblown".
Inside the working environment
In his book, William and Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story, Mirror royal editor Russell Myers examines William and Kate's private responses to Meghan and Harry's conduct, both preceding Megxit and following their exit.
William and Catherine had invested considerable effort in cultivating a pleasant, informal working environment - yet within months of Meghan and Harry's wedding, it appeared to be disintegrating, with personnel departing regularly. The couple were concerned not merely about the effect Harry and Meghan were having on staff morale, but also regarding their ability to collaborate with the Sussexes going forward.
A source revealed: "In one camp you had the people who cared, wanted those working in the household to enjoy themselves while working there, and on the other side it was something different every day. Nothing was ever good enough, there were constant complaints. It was exhausting."
Two months following the Sussexes' nuptials, William and Catherine extended an invitation to Harry and Meghan to visit their home in a bid to resolve tensions concerning the handling of their personnel. Nevertheless, the pair declined to acknowledge any responsibility for the exit of two of Meghan's personal assistants, or for the distressing environment that left staff members reporting stress-related illness.
An insider said: "It had reached an intolerable situation for so many of them, there were a lot of issues surrounding people needing time off work, not wanting to come in or be on engagements on duty with Harry or Meghan. Everything possible was being done at all stages to help them but nothing was ever good enough."
Harry challenged the bullying claims in his memoir, instead asserting that Meghan had made extraordinary efforts to foster a positive workplace atmosphere. He said: "Despite what certain people were saying about her, I never heard her speak a bad word about anybody, or to anybody. On the contrary, I watched her redouble her efforts to spread kindness."
