Prince William has remained silent following news that his brother, Prince Harry, and his wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, may be returning to the United Kingdom. Royal experts suggest William is "seething" over the development and that the move could pressure him into a reconciliation with Harry.
Peter Hunt, a former BBC royal correspondent, stated that William would likely be "apoplectic" at his brother's potential return. Hunt posited that the Sussexes' presence in the UK could lead to the establishment of "two rival courts," one for William and one for Harry. He also indicated that Harry's return would likely facilitate a closer relationship with their father, King Charles, and make it more difficult for William to avoid a reconciliation.
The estrangement between the Prince and Princess of Wales and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex has been evident for some time. Reports suggest their rift began even before Harry's 2018 marriage to Meghan, with Harry accusing William of being prejudiced against his then-future wife. By March 2019, the Sussexes had established their own household, separate from the joint operation with William and Kate, amid reports of discord.
Following their departure from royal duties in 2020, Harry has publicly voiced criticisms of his brother, William, and other senior royals through interviews, his memoir "Spare," and a Netflix documentary. In his autobiography, Harry recounted a physical altercation with William over Meghan's alleged behavior and claimed William and Kate encouraged him to wear a Nazi uniform to a party in 2005.
In their Netflix series, Harry and Meghan suggested that Kensington Palace had misled the public about William's role in Harry's departure from the Royal Family. Harry also wrote about a meeting with his father, King Charles, after the funeral of Prince Philip, where Charles reportedly pleaded with his sons to "Please, boys. Don't make my final years a misery."
Meghan, in an interview with Oprah Winfrey, stated that Kate had made her cry before her wedding, contrary to earlier reports. The Sussexes' claims that royal family members questioned the skin color of their unborn son, Archie, led to Kate being accused of racism, an issue that William may find difficult to forgive.
According to reports, William may be more sensitive to accusations concerning Kate than to criticisms directed at himself.