Prince William and Kate Middleton are not believed to have spoken to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle since the Duke and Duchess of Sussex returned to the UK with their two children, Archie and Lilibet. Friends of William and Kate have said the couple will distance themselves from "the drama" and, while they "cannot forgive" the Sussexes for their hurtful accusations against the Firm, they are determined to "look forward to the future".
Return to UK life
The announcement that Harry and Meghan were returning to life in Britain six years after dramatically quitting both the country and their roles as senior working royals came as a huge shock. However, they appear to have settled back into life this side of the Atlantic seamlessly, with Archie and Lilibet now enrolled in their second UK school after Harry and Meghan's security team raised concerns about the couple's first choice.
When the Duke and Duchess of Sussex made the decision to step away from their royal lives back in 2020, they vowed to become financially independent. Since then, Harry and Meghan embarked on a number of high-profile interviews with the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Tom Bradby and Gayle King, had their own Netflix TV series, Finding Freedom, and the duke published his memoir, Spare.
Bombshell claims and tensions
In these, the couple made a number of bombshell claims about their lives as senior working royals, including a huge argument Harry is said to have had with older brother William over his relationship with Meghan. Tensions are believed to have begun between Harry and Meghan and his royal relatives some time before the couple made the decision to leave the UK, dating back to before the duke's lavish 2018 wedding to Meghan in Windsor.
In a biography, William and Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story, Mirror royal editor Russell Myers also explains how the Duke of Sussex was "incredulous" when his request for royal protection for Meghan before they married in 2018 was refused. Harry is said to have felt it was "one rule for him and another for me" after being told Kate was given unofficial palace guidance when she began her relationship with William and was given round-the-clock security as soon as the couple got engaged.
Security concerns and royal relations
Harry was desperate for action to be taken for his then future wife after she became a target on social media and was furious when he was told any security would not be forthcoming until the couple were married. His father, Charles, also insisted he could not get involved because it was a government decision, despite the help given to Kate when she became engaged to William.
While Harry is thought to have built bridges with his father, King Charles, during several of his return visits to the UK while he and his family were still living in America, his relationship with William and Kate is not believed to have improved, including since the family's return. King Charles and Prince William are believed to have been told at the same time of the couple's plans to move back to the UK, and the two senior royals are said to be in "complete lockstep" when it comes to not allowing Harry and Meghan to have a "half in, half out" role within the monarchy.
