While birthday greetings for Prince Harry from King Charles III and Prince William were seen as an olive branch, they are not expected to translate into a family reunion during Harry’s upcoming visit to the UK. Sources close to the royal family suggest that underlying tensions remain, particularly from Prince William.
The Daily Beast reports that William, who is still reportedly “deeply hurt” by Harry’s 2023 memoir “Spare,” is not interested in meeting with his younger brother. “William’s focus is on his family right now, and he won’t be meeting up with Harry,” a friend of William and Kate Middleton told The Daily Beast.
This sentiment echoes a wider perception that Prince William remains deeply offended by the allegations in “Spare,” especially those implying that Kate participated in racially insensitive comments regarding Harry and Meghan Markle’s children.
Harry, who has become increasingly distanced from the royal family since stepping back from royal duties, is not expected to stay in any royal residence during his visit for the WellChild Awards. Instead, he may stay in a central London hotel.
Despite these reports, royal correspondent Katie Nicholl of Vanity Fair maintains that Charles reached out to Harry on his birthday as part of an effort to mend their relationship. “It was always the king’s intention to publicly acknowledge his son’s 40th, and I am sure that the king will have spoken to Harry on his birthday,” Nicholl stated. However, a source close to Harry suggested that he does not expect any reconciliation attempts from the king or William. “Harry is not expecting the call-up from the king or William,” they said.
