Prince William is reportedly urging King Charles to take a firmer line against Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, with sources claiming he wants to end their attempts to regain a royal foothold after their return to the UK.
In the latest episode of the Daily Expresso, Express Editor JJ Anisiobi and commentator Mark Dolan discussed claims that the Prince of Wales played a key role in a Palace letter reiterating that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are not working royals.
William's alleged push for tougher stance
Opening the discussion, JJ said: "William wants to destroy Harry and Meghan. That may sound like I'm overegging it there. I'm really not. This is what sources are saying."
He claimed that Prince William had urged his father to take action regarding the couple's royal status and that he was pleased with the subsequent letter.
Mark said: "William was very instrumental in getting that letter out. He's taking it as a big win and it's given him hope that his father might finally be seeing this more clearly."
Call to strip titles
JJ added: "Apparently, William is the man who was behind that letter. William said to his father, King Charles, you must do this."
The discussion then turned to Harry and Meghan's Duke and Duchess of Sussex titles, with Mark claiming Prince William wants his father to go further.
He said: "William is not going to stop pushing until the king agrees to take away their titles."
Mark claimed the issue had become a source of tension between the King and his eldest son. He continued: "He hates that he has to constantly raise the issue with his father. It's caused a lot of strife between them, but it means protecting the monarchy and protecting his father from making a colossal mistake. It's worth it to William."
Monarchy concerns and personal rift
According to Mark, Prince William believes Harry and Meghan retaining their titles creates difficulties for the Royal Family because they can continue to present themselves publicly as royal figures.
He said: "As long as they are Duke and Duchess of Sussex then they can pretend to be royal and that's a problem for the family and it's a problem for the monarchy."
The discussion also addressed the breakdown in the brothers' personal relationship. Mark said he had received particularly strong descriptions of their relationship from unnamed insiders.
He told JJ: "I've also heard that William effing hates his brother. Not my language, but I think it's worse than ever."
Mark argued that Prince William's alleged position went beyond the personal dispute and was instead connected to concerns about the future of the monarchy.
He said: "I think that William sees this as existential for the family. It's not just personal beef. It's not just a private family row. William's got a great sense of public duty. His loyalty is to the crown."
Harry and Meghan's UK return
Prince Harry and Meghan stepped down as senior working royals in 2020 and spent six years living primarily in Montecito, California, before officially returning to live in the UK in August 2026.
The couple have since settled into a private, non-royal residence in the Cotswolds with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
Discussing the prospect of a future return, Mark added: "It's sweet justice for Harry that ultimately his brother will be deciding on this royal return. And at the moment the decision's made, it's a big fat no."
