Will Prince William accept Prince Harry's plea and welcome him back to the royal family? Here's what experts say
A fresh appeal from Prince Harry for reconciliation with his family is unlikely to be met warmly, with royal experts indicating that Prince William remains firm in his stance to keep a distance from his younger brother, as mentioned in a report by Fox News.The strained ties between the once inseparable princes appear to have worsened, with no sign of repair in sight.
In recent remarks to BBC following a failed legal bid to reinstate his UK security, Prince Harry expressed a desire to mend ties, saying, "Life is precious... I don't know how much longer my father has." However, royal commentator Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital that such statements ring hollow in light of Harry's repeated public criticisms of the royal family.
"Over the years, the gulf has widened between Prince William and Harry — largely due to Harry's ongoing public denigration of the monarchy," Fordwich said, adding that the Duke of Cambridge is now more resolved than ever to uphold the institution. "Prince William views the monarchy as having been undermined by Harry's commercial ventures and revelations', as quoted in a report by Fox News.
Royal expert Ian Pelham Turner echoed this sentiment, stating plainly, "Will William forgive Harry and Meghan and welcome them back? A big fat royal no." Turner added that if the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were ever to return to royal duties, "King Charles would have to overrule his eldest son once again."
According to Turner, it is not a matter of what Harry says or does now — the damage has already been done, especially following the release of Harry's memoir "Spare" and a string of interviews perceived as critical of the monarchy.
Fordwich also questioned Harry's sincerity, labeling him 'hypocritical' for expressing regret over the family rift while failing to take personal responsibility for exacerbating it.
'He has publicly aired grievances but offered no true apology or gestures of reconciliation,' she said. The expert pointed to Harry's shifting explanations — from concerns about safety to alleging rejection by the royal household — as confusing and inconsistent. These contradictions, observers say, make genuine reconciliation all the more difficult.Harry's failed attempt to restore government-funded security has further complicated his position.
During his BBC interview, he remarked, "I never asked [my father] to intervene… but there is a lot of ability and control in his hands." He also said he could not envision bringing his wife Meghan Markle and their children back to the UK under current circumstances, as mentioned in the Fox News report..
Harry's suggestion that palace influence contributed to his court defeat was described by expert Richard Fitzwilliams as 'extraordinary,' with Fitzwilliams concluding that the rift between Harry and the royal family is 'unbridgeable.' Meanwhile, Kinsey Schofield, host of the To Di For Daily podcast, said the Sussexes' media appearances have backfired.
'Harry claims he misses his family and feels unsafe, while Meghan publicly says she's never been happier. It's a PR disaster,' she noted. The couple, who stepped back from royal duties in 2020, have consistently voiced concerns about media intrusion and alleged institutional neglect. Yet their continued public disclosures, including Netflix documentaries and Harry's book, have only deepened the divide.Harry cited the "toxic environment" within royal life and experiences of racism as key reasons behind his and Meghan's decision to leave the UK, first relocating to Canada and later settling in Los Angeles. He also pointed to the withdrawal of their security following their change in royal status.Next in the line of succession are William's three children, listed by birth order: Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. Following them, Prince Harry—King Charles' younger son—holds the fifth position, with his eldest child, Prince Archie, in sixth place.
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