House Windsor Vs Spencer: Harry Is Reportedly Playing His Own Game Of Thrones Amid UK Return

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At the end of August 2026, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Duke and Duchess of Sussex officially began living in the U.K. again. The Sussexes' U.K. house hunt indicates their short-term stay might last until their kids complete their schooling. A longer-term residency could deepen the ongoing rift between Harry and his royal Windsor relatives, especially since he has a visibly tight relationship with the Spencers, his mom's side of the family. Harry's rumored documentary project about his mom, the late Princess Diana, could exacerbate those tensions even more.

"Harry has tried to claim the Diana legacy for himself, to William's intense frustration," Richard Kay, Daily Mail Senior Editor-at-Large, explained on "Palace Confidential." "This issue of trying to use Diana, the Spencer brand, the Spencer name, to sort of divide himself away from the House of Windsor, I think is something we're going to see even more of." During their July 2026 vacation, Harry, Meghan, and their kids visited Althorp House, Diana's childhood home. Diana's brother, Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer, still lives there, and he reportedly suggested the Sussexes become his neighbors and move into one of the other homes on the property, according to a source for Rob Shuter's "Naughty But Nice" Substack. 

While the couple is purportedly looking elsewhere, Harry's affiliation with the Spencers remains a part of public perception. In contrast, since William, Prince of Wales is now second in the line of succession, it makes sense that people might associate him more closely with the Windsors than Harry, who's fifth in line.

Rumors about a new Princess Diana documentary project were already swirling in August 2025, and some people contend Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex used his 2026 summer visit to Althorp to acquire footage of Diana's private gravesite. The late princess' resting place is on an island on the property, and only family members are permitted up close. While photos of the site have been published before, video footage could cause even more damage to Harry's relationship with his brother, William, Prince of Wales. "[William] feels strongly that certain spaces should remain entirely private, especially given their personal significance," one insider divulged to Radar Online.

William and Harry were never the same after Diana's death, and each brother has his own approach to grief. In William's case, he's also trying to balance his royal responsibilities. Although they both participated in a documentary commemorating the 20th anniversary of Diana's death, it's not likely William would be part of Harry's reported new documentary project. "[William] knows that the moment the two brothers were seen together, the story would immediately become a highly marketable narrative about Diana finally bringing her sons back together," royal expert Kinsey Schofield said to Page Six, explaining why they probably wouldn't get together for the anniversary of her death in 2026.

However, the project could be a chance for Harry and his uncle, Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer, to get even closer. Charles has previously participated in various film projects about Diana's life, and his desire to talk about his sister resulted in his upcoming book, "Swan Song."