The contrast between the Prince and Princess of Wales and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex has never been more pronounced, with William and Catherine maintaining a resolute silence as Harry and Meghan return to the UK.
Since Megxit, the Sussexes have shared royal secrets for millions of dollars, leading to comparisons with the wartime warning that "loose lips sink ships." While Harry and Meghan have been described as leakier than the UK water network, William and Catherine have remained dignified and discreet.
Careful approach to reconciliation
Sources have suggested that returning home presents Harry with the "best opportunity" to repair the years-long rift with his older brother, but those close to the Prince and Princess of Wales indicate they are taking a careful approach.
Aside from a brief statement after the Sussexes' 2021 Oprah Winfrey interview to stress the Royal Family was not racist, William and Catherine have never responded to public complaints from Harry and Meghan.
Watching the space
Harry and Meghan flew into Birmingham Airport on August 26, with Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, beginning school in Britain in days. William is said to be sensibly resisting any "knee-jerk reaction" to the Sussexes' UK move.
A close source said: "They are watching this space. It's private — they don't feel the need to say anything or demonstrate anything outwardly." The source added that any reconciliation "will be a slow build. There is a deep sense of betrayal."
A bond broken
After the tragic death of their mother Diana, Princess of Wales, in 1997, the two brothers had seemed close, walking side-by-side behind her funeral procession at Westminster Abbey. They lived together and shared an official office at St James's Palace as young adults, both joined the Armed Services, flew helicopters, and married non-aristocrats.
Then Harry humiliated his brother and sister-in-law in his 2023 book Spare and in TV interviews, which were deeply wounding and, to a great extent, unnecessary and spiteful. Making millions of pounds from it has added to the deep wounds caused.
Staying silent and not giving Harry and Meghan the satisfaction, or the ammunition, is the smartest thing William and Kate can do.
