Inside William And Harry's Quiet Reconciliation
Prince William's feud with his younger brother, Prince Harry, has been dominating headlines for years. Rumors of a rift between the royals started shortly after Harry married Meghan Markle (via Daily Mail) and only intensified following Harry and Meghan's exit from the royal family in early 2020.
Since that time, there has appeared to be a divide between Harry and Meghan and the rest of the royals. However, as William takes on more responsibility within the monarchy, one royal expert claims the bad blood between him and his brother is weighing heavily on his mind.
"It's very clear to those that know William that the rift with his brother is not something that he can just forget about," royal commentator Duncan Larcombe told OK! magazine (via the Daily Star). "It's very much, as you can imagine, a constant strain. It is for Harry as well, they're both as stubborn as mules."
Larcombe went on to explain that William has accomplished many of his goals already, as he's gone from a young prince and student to a husband and father. Now, he's readying himself to become king, but, apparently, his rift with Harry is the one thing standing between him and happiness. All that may be changing as the brothers are said to be actively working on putting the pieces of their relationship back together.
Prince William and Prince Harry have been video chatting to reconnect
After years of reports about Prince William's rift with Prince Harry, the brothers are said to finally be taking some action to repair their damaged relationship. According to the Daily Mail, the royals have been making it a priority to stay in contact with each other and have been scheduling video calls on a weekly basis.
The Mirror reported that William and Harry have been messaging each other using WhatsApp while also having regular video calls that include their children. However, sources suggest that the brothers' wives, Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle, are keeping their distance from these calls to allow their husbands some quality time for conversation.
An insider told the outlet that William was very upset about the way Harry and Meghan left the royal family but has started to move on from his anger. "The brothers needed time for everything to settle down. The family, including William, had been disappointed in the way Harry and Meghan chose to leave the royal family," the source claimed.
Now, things have supposedly settled between William and Harry. "William sees that Meghan is a good mother and loyal wife and he is genuinely pleased for his brother," the Mirror's insider continued. "It seems that the two of them have healed the rift and are very much back on their old buddy terms."
Harry and Meghan are set to celebrate Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee soon with the rest of the royals, and all eyes will certainly be on the princes during their public outings together.
William previously expressed concern over the privacy of their conversations
The fact that Prince William feels comfortable openly speaking to his brother again signals a major change in his approach to his relationship with Prince Harry.
As previously reported by The Sun, the Duke of Cambridge was concerned that details from their private conversations could be used against him at a later stage. Moreover, William was reportedly worried about the Sussexes attending the Platinum Jubilee celebrations because their presence could distract from the queen.
As an insider explained, "William wants to talk to Harry to try to heal the rift between them but he's fearful it will find its way on to Netflix, Oprah or into Harry's upcoming book."
The younger prince caused a stir when he refused to acknowledge missing his father and brother during a "Today" interview, per the New York Post. Although Harry and Meghan Markle's Oprah interview was groundbreaking, the "Today" chat proved to be just as shocking because of what the Duke of Sussex didn't say.
Harry also reportedly created tension with his extended family by claiming to have a very close relationship with the queen and ominously expressing a desire to keep "the right people around her." Nobody could blame William and Prince Charles for being a bit peeved by his comments, if they were, since Harry also claimed that Britain was no longer his home, further emphasizing the distance between them, both physical and metaphorical.
What's the atmosphere going to be like at the Platinum Jubilee?
Needless to say, all eyes will be on Prince William and Prince Harry during the Platinum Jubilee. Per The Mirror, the Sussexes won't be joining Her Majesty on the balcony at Buckingham Palace for Trooping the Color since they're no longer working royals.
But Meghan Markle and Harry will come face-to-face with William and Kate Middleton regardless, with all parties gearing themselves up for a potentially awkward reunion after everything that's happened since they defected from the royal family.
It's worth noting that, just a few weeks ago, a royal expert suggested there was hope of a reconciliation between the warring brothers.
Speaking to "The Royal Beat" (via Express), Robert Jobson claimed, "There is always love there, even if there is dislike or you have fallen out with your sibling. There is that underlying love. I think there is a lot of testosterone flying around here." He pointed to William's unsolicited advice about Meghan for creating the issue in the first place.
That's long in the rearview now, though. "They probably just need, as I am sure the Queen would love, just one moment where they can gel again, have a hug, and then move on," Jobson suggested. William and Harry last crossed paths at the statue unveiling for their late mother, Princess Diana, in July 2021, and seemed to be on civil terms. Fortunately, they're doing much better now, so the Jubilee should be a happy reunion.