Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s visit to London earlier this month caused anxiety among members of the royal family and the public. Palace experts say King Charles and his eldest son, heir to the throne Prince William, must maintain a united front — certainly when it comes to Prince Harry.
“The most disastrous thing that could happen to the monarchy would be a falling out between King Charles and Prince William, who, together with his family, is its future,” author Richard Fitzwilliams made clear in an interview with the Daily Mail. “William is concerned that Harry’s presence could overshadow the valuable work the monarchy is doing in the media.”
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King Charles and his eldest son, heir to the throne Prince William, must maintain a united front
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It is no secret that William bears a grudge against his younger brother, and more than once people close to the heir to the throne have made clear that William’s door is closed to Harry, his wife and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. At the same time, those in the know say King Charles is eager to renew his relationship with his grandchildren.
'We know the King understandably wanted to see his grandchildren and the Sussexes have subsequently been silent personally, but briefings have not ceased," Fitzwilliams continued. "They obviously plan future visits. They want the King to see more of his grandchildren which is totally understandable. Things will undoubtedly be better arranged regarding accommodation and, hopefully, security in future."
According to the author, this could also lead to the possibility that the king will attend next year's Invictus Games, founded by Prince Harry, who remains its patron. The games will be held in Birmingham in 2027.
In June 2025, it was reported that Prince Harry was planning to invite his father and older brother to the Invictus Games in 2027. Those in the know said Harry was moving quickly with the invitation to ensure that William and Charles’ schedules would remain free. Harry hopes his father will agree to overcome their differences and come to support soldiers and veterans. He is extending an olive branch, and may receive one in return, according to Fitzwilliams.
One holds a grudge, the other wants to meet his grandchildren
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“After all, he (King Charles) is the head of the armed forces and it undeniably is a valuable military charity," Fitzwilliams said. At the same time, he added, 'William showed public disdain for his (wayward) brother by playing polo with Catherine's support on the day the Sussexes met the King and Queen. f this was a one-off, few could object — However, it is clearly part of a strategy. Harry and Meghan's royal links mean everything, and Harry is wonderful with children."
Those in the know say William understands his father’s approach and his desire to maintain contact with Harry and his family. Still, the heir to the throne is concerned about the impact Harry’s future visits could have.
“It would be best if they happened privately with no one knowing and great progress might then be made, though that does not tend to be the Sussexes' way. When there are disputes between families, reconciliation should always be welcomed. However, it often comes at a cost,” he explained.
It could be up to Princess Kate to bring about the royal reconciliation
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“The Royal Family will bear in mind that the 30th anniversary of Diana's death is coming up and Netflix would clearly like first refusal on anything the Sussexes were involved in to commemorate this. There is a lot to play for and obviously we must hope one of the world's most public family disputes is gradually resolved. However, it is essential for the future of the monarchy that the King and Prince William agree a joint approach – both publicly and privately – on how this should be handled," Fitzwilliams said.
As of this writing, the way the two are dealing with the “Harry crisis” is accompanied by reports of serious gaps between them, ones that have led to a split.
“Since the institution cannot afford deep divisions between them, perhaps Queen Camilla and Catherine will play a part in ensuring that, even if their priorities are different from the Sussexes', that they present a more united front publicly. If it was ensured that future visits by the Sussexes were private, that would obviously help,” he added.
Prince William has so far not met Prince Harry's two children
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Finally, it is worth recalling that a few days before Harry arrived in Britain Kate began putting pressure on her husband in the hope that he would listen to her and meet with his wayward brother. “Kate is trying to convince William to meet with Harry, and also with Meghan and the children,” the source told Us Weekly.
The insider added at the time that Kate very much wants to meet Archie and Lilibet, saying: “The princess has had almost no opportunities to meet the children. The news that they were coming was met with great shock, but she is trying to make it work. Kate very much hopes William will agree to meet them, but she will respect his decision if he chooses not to.” William, as noted, chose not to.