Prince William Draws a Firm Line as Harry Bombards Him With Calls Ahead of UK Return: Source
Despite Prince Harry's best attempts to build bridges, Prince William reportedly remains unconvinced of his true intentions.
While Prince Harry's relationship with King Charles has shown signs of thawing, the same cannot be said for his once-close bond with Prince William, who remains the least interested in mending fences. Sources claim the Duke of Sussex has repeatedly tried to reach his brother by phone, but the Prince of Wales remains unconvinced of his true intentions. William is said to still feel deeply hurt by Harry's past criticism of the royal family and Princess Kate in his memoir, leaving no signs of reconciliation for now.
Speaking to OK! magazine, an insider revealed that Harry had allegedly bombarded William with phone calls before his UK visit on July 7. Weighing in on William's thought process, the source explained, "From his [William's] perspective, everything Harry has done—the televised interviews, the pages of that book [Spare], the barbs aimed at Catherine—amounts to a sustained assault on the people he is sworn to protect." They added, "In William's mind, you cannot spend years airing grievances, tear the roof off in public, and then expect to wander back in as if nothing happened just because you've decided to pick up the phone."
Chiming in, another source claimed that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have never acknowledged the damage caused by their interviews, much to William's dismay. The insider suggested that maintaining distance from the Sussexes was William's way of 'setting a boundary.' Meanwhile, a friend of Harry's explained the Duke's point of view, saying, "He [Harry] has picked up the phone, sent long messages, and suggested meeting in ways that wouldn't put anyone under pressure… In his mind, the family situation—and their [William and Harry's] father's health—ought to be enough to get them past the stalemate, at least enough for a conversation."
The ensuing communication breakdown pretty much means that the feuding brothers will not be seeing each other during Harry's UK visit. The source clarified, "The reality is that William has no appetite for some choreographed reunion. From William's perspective, the simplest way to break that pattern is not to engage in the first place." Palace insiders believed this was further proof that William's stern approach was a sharp departure from his father's more forgiving stance. Only time will tell whether the Prince of Wales will follow in Charles's footsteps and let bygones be bygones when he ascends the throne.
