William and Kate ‘Extremely Suspicious’ of Harry, Worried History Will Repeat Itself: Expert
Prince Harry being back in the UK this week reignited speculation about whether the royal family might be stepping towards reconciliation. And rightly so, putting all ‘wills’ and ‘will nots’ to rest, the father and son duo reunited after 19 months. But while the King appears willing to extend an olive branch, royal insiders believe Prince William and Kate Middleton remain far more 'cautious.'
Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams, speaking to The Express, said William and Middleton will be wary of Harry’s return to the fold. “I think William and Catherine will, rightly, regard Harry with extreme suspicion, as will the King,” he said, pointing to Harry’s past decision to make private conversations public. Since stepping back from royal duties in 2020, Harry’s interviews, documentaries, and memoir have laid bare details of family disputes that were once shielded, as the royals often avoid washing their dirty linen in public. For William and Middleton, he argues, the fear of history repeating itself remains a stumbling block.
Harry’s London trip began on September 8, when he attended the WellChild Awards, a charity he has long supported. He then had a series of other engagements to attend. On September 10, he was photographed arriving at Clarence House around 5:20 p.m. to meet King Charles, staying for roughly an hour over tea. Buckingham Palace and Harry’s spokesperson both confirmed the meeting. It was their first substantial conversation since February, when Harry flew in following the King’s cancer diagnosis. The meeting reportedly only lasted 30 minutes.
Even though this is a major positive move forward, Fitzwilliams is less optimistic about a thaw in Harry’s relationship with his elder brother. He warned that meaningful progress will depend on Harry and Meghan Markle changing their approach. “They really have to change if they do want to reconcile, something which is obviously desirable, especially when there is illness in the family, but it may not actually happen,” he said. The issue, many believe, lies not just in sibling rivalry but in broader mistrust toward Markle.
Aides for Harry and Charles had earlier held a private 'peace summit' in London, described as an early step toward repairing their fractured relationship. But news of the meeting quickly made its way to the press. Commenting on the leak, royal commentator Kinsey Schofield told Sky News Australia, “I also think that somebody leaked this story and I don’t see the value in it [for the King].” She added, “And I talked to Tom Bower about it, too. I don’t see the value in the King leaking this story.”
Royal author Ingrid Seward, meanwhile, has argued that the Duchess of Sussex remains a complicating factor in any reconciliation. “The flea in the ointment really is very much Meghan,” she told Fox News Digital. “She’s disliked intensely by a large number of the monarchists of this country. They see her as being very… damaging to the royal family. And also, I think a lot of people in America feel the same.”