William and Kate’s approach to Harry and Meghan as the Sussexes return to the UK revealed
Prince William and Princess Catherine are expected to keep their distance from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle despite the Sussexes’ return to Britain with their children.
According to a friend of the Prince and Princess of Wales, the couple intend to remain focused on their public responsibilities and their three children rather than become drawn into the family tensions surrounding Harry and Meghan.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex returned to the UK last week after living in California since 2020. The precise location of their new British home has not been made public.
William and Catherine are expected to keep their distance
The relationship between William and Harry has been strained for several years. The brothers are not thought to have spoken in a number of years, while the last occasion on which they were pictured together was noted as 2022.
Harry and Meghan’s move back to Britain has therefore brought renewed attention to the state of relations between the two couples.
Speaking to Daily Mail diary editor Richard Eden, a friend of William and Catherine indicated that their approach would not change simply because the Sussexes are now living in the UK.
The friend said the couple would continue to ignore Harry and Meghan, arguing that their location made little difference. Whether the Sussexes were living in Oxfordshire, California or Timbuktu, the friend said, William and Catherine would remain focused on their own lives and responsibilities.
The source added that the Prince and Princess of Wales intended to lead by example through their public service.
That approach places the emphasis firmly on William and Catherine’s royal duties and family life, rather than on their relationship with the Sussexes.
A relationship damaged by years of tension
The rift between William and Harry became increasingly public after Harry and Meghan stepped back from royal duties.
Harry subsequently made a series of accusations involving William, Catherine, King Charles and other members of the Royal Family. The tensions have remained unresolved despite occasional encounters at major royal events.
William and Harry were seen together with their wives in Windsor on September 10, 2022, following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
The appearance was significant because it brought the two couples together publicly during the period of mourning for the late Queen. However, it did not lead to a lasting improvement in the brothers’ relationship.
Harry and Meghan have since spent most of their time in California, where they have lived since 2020. Their return to Britain with Archie and Lilibet has now placed the family members geographically much closer again.
Reports have also suggested that King Charles and William were only informed of the Sussexes’ return shortly before it became publicly known.
Archie and Lilibet face a new chapter in the UK
The Sussexes’ return also means that Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet are expected to begin school in the UK.
Details of their school and arrangements have been kept private, with their parents seeking to protect the children’s privacy.
Their move has also raised questions about their relationship with members of the Royal Family, particularly William, who is now expected to have greater proximity to his niece and nephew.
US-based royal expert Marlene Koenig told the Daily Express that it was difficult to know how William would feel about Archie and Lilibet being back in Britain because, in her view, he does not know the children.
That distance is a reflection of how little contact there has been between the two branches of the family in recent years.
For now, the message from William and Catherine’s reported circle is that the couple intend to stay focused on their royal responsibilities and their children. The Sussexes’ return to the UK may bring the families physically closer, but there is no indication from the account given by the couple’s friend that it will automatically bring the brothers closer personally.
