Prince William is reportedly worried that reconciling with Prince Harry would trigger renewed media attention, according to royal expert Hugo Vickers. The brothers have not met since Harry returned to the UK at the end of August, and sources close to William have said he will not budge on the estrangement.
Expert Cites Damaged Relationship
Hugo Vickers told The Sun: "I can think of many reasons why Prince William would not wish to reconcile with his brother." He added: "If you look back at all the things that his brother has said in his book and in the interviews, insults to Catherine, his wife, you know, it's a very damaged relationship."
Vickers said: "I think Prince William would be right to be worried. He doesn't want to [air] his grievances in public." He also noted that any reconciliation must take place privately.
Harry's Hopes for Reunion
Prince Harry has spoken about his hopes to reconcile with his family. In an interview with GQ, he said: "There's sibling disagreements; there are broken relationships between kids and their parents, kids and one parent."
He added: "That continues to come up with me the whole time by people that I speak to, so I know how relatable it is. With everything else that's going on in the world, the most important thing is to reconcile. That's the key point."
Timeline of the Rift
The brothers' issues began between 2016 and 2018, reportedly starting when Harry began dating Meghan Markle. William was concerned about the speed of the relationship, and in 2018 he advised Harry not to rush, leading Harry to accuse his brother of trying to wreck the romance.
Tensions rose further in 2019 during an alleged confrontation at Kensington Palace. In 2020, the Sussexes stepped back from royal roles and moved to the USA, where they lived for six years. They returned to the UK at the end of August with their two children and are now reportedly living in the Cotswolds.
