Prince William and Kate Middleton's attempts to clear the air with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle over the treatment of royal staff ended in disaster, with the Sussexes refusing to accept responsibility for the unhappy atmosphere.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have returned to the UK with their two children, Archie and Lilibet, several weeks ago and appear to be enjoying life back on British soil. Meghan posted an adorable video to Instagram showing the family's first few weeks in the UK, including cosy walks in the woods, Harry fishing with his children, Meghan jumping in puddles, and Lilibet riding her bike while Archie runs alongside her.
The two royal children have been enrolled in their second UK school after Harry and Meghan's security team raised concerns about the journey to and from class with the family's first pick. Harry has attended the WellChild charity awards and made an emotional speech on stage, while Meghan has been spotted in a pub with fellow US ex-pat Ellen DeGeneres.
Six years since the Sussexes quit royal life
It seems a far cry from the duke and duchess's dramatic decision to quit both the UK and their roles as senior working royals six years ago. The couple moved to Montecito in California with the aim of becoming financially independent. A number of high-profile interviews followed with the likes of Oprah Winfrey, as well as their own Netflix series, Finding Freedom, and Harry published his memoir, Spare.
In all of these, the couple made a number of claims about the royal family and their time as working royals, which could have increased the tension between Harry and Meghan and the rest of the monarchy. However, it seems tension between the duke and duchess and the rest of the royals had been simmering for some time before their dramatic departure in 2020.
Tensions date back to before the 2018 wedding
In his book, William and Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story, Mirror royal editor Russell Myers details the breakdown in the relationships between Harry and Meghan and the Prince and Princess of Wales, who were once dubbed the Fab Four. Tensions in the royal family go back as far as the period before the duke and duchess's Windsor wedding in 2018, according to Myers.
In July 2025, royal author Sally Bedell Smith claimed Lady Elizabeth Anson, a cousin and close confidante of the late Queen, felt the monarch had been deeply hurt when Harry 'was rude to her for ten minutes' in a meeting in the lead-up to the wedding. Her Majesty was said to be upset Harry had asked the Archbishop of Canterbury to perform the ceremony instead of the Dean of Windsor, as tradition would dictate. Lady Elizabeth said the fiery exchange with her grandson left the Queen 'hurt beyond belief'.
According to Myers, upon hearing about the incident, William spoke to his brother about his 'unforgivable behaviour'. With tensions running high amongst the stressed staff who were working hard to get across all the details for the wedding, "[William] saw what was happening and apologised on behalf of his brother on more than one occasion".
Failed clear the air talks
William and Kate had spent a great deal of time fostering a happy, relaxed working atmosphere - but in those few months, it was falling apart, with staff leaving all the time. The couple were not only fearful of the impact Harry and Meghan were having on team morale, but also how they would be able to work with the Sussexes moving forward.
An insider said: "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."
In July 2018, two months after Meghan and Harry's lavish wedding, William and Kate invited them to their home in an attempt to clear the air surrounding the treatment of their staff. However, the couple refused to concede they were responsible for two of Meghan's PAs leaving or for the unhappy atmosphere which saw members of staff reporting they were sick with stress.
A source 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 hit back at the claims in Spare, writing: "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."
