Prince Harry’s latest royal UK visit once again raised hopes that his long-running rift with Prince William might finally ease. Early reports even suggested Kate Middleton was trying to bring the brothers together.
However, a royal expert has now claimed the Princess of Wales has stepped away from that role, with insiders pointing to a clear reason she may no longer want to get involved. Scroll down for more details.
Kate Middleton Reportedly Steps Away From Prince Harry And William’s Rift
Before Harry arrived in the UK for his five-day trip, speculation grew over where he would stay and which members of the royal family he might meet. A report from Us Weekly claimed that a reunion with William looked more possible than before.
“At this time, William is not planning to be there, but things could change,” a source told the outlet. “Kate has been trying to convince William to meet with Harry, Meghan [Markle] and the kids.” At the time, Harry had reportedly planned to travel with Meghan Markle and their children, Princess Lilibet, 5, and Prince Archie, 7, before the Sussexes lost their security arrangements.
The source also claimed Kate wanted an opportunity to see the children. “She is interested in seeing the kids, as well,” the insider said. “These opportunities to see Archie and Lilibet haven’t happened before. So when they found out they were coming, it was a shock. They are trying to make this work because the opportunities are so limited.”
Royal Experts Say Kate Is Not Pushing For A Meeting
More recent claims, however, tell a very different story. Royal expert Christopher Andersen rejected the idea that Kate is still working behind the scenes to reunite William and Harry. “Kate is no longer in the business of trying to reunite the brothers” Andersen told. “It really is a year of magical thinking when people seriously suggest that the Princess of Wales has the emotional bandwidth to cope with the Sussexes.”
British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard also said her sources do not believe Kate is encouraging a meeting. “Unfortunately, my sources do not believe Princess Catherine is pushing for Prince William to meet Prince Harry,” she told the outlet. “She isn’t pushing for a meeting.”
Still, Chard suggested Kate remains the royal most capable of changing William’s mind if circumstances shift. Chard then offered a reason for Kate’s reported decision to stay out of the situation. According to her, the Princess of Wales wants to protect her immediate family from being pulled back into more public tension.
At the same time, Harry suffered a major setback when his privacy lawsuit ended in a significant legal loss. Against that backdrop, the latest claims suggest Kate may now prefer to focus on her family. Maybe, now, she doesn’t want to take responsibility for repairing a royal relationship that has remained strained for years. For more Royal News and updates, keep following Soap Opera Daily.