Prince Harry is in the U.K. for his annual WellChild Awards visit, so Prince William made sure to have a stacked schedule for the next few days.
The Prince of Wales’ busy calendar likely ends the question of whether he will meet with his estranged brother, but it appears the palace has made a power move amid the expected headlines — Kate Middleton made a surprise appearance, according to People.
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Monday, Sept. 8, marked the third anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s death, and the press knew William was scheduled to visit the Women’s Institute in Sunningdale, Berkshire. What the media didn’t expect was the Princess of Wales showing up along with him — a savvy PR moment.
Prince Harry
It’s no secret that Kate is the main draw in the “slimmed-down” royal family under King Charles III’s reign. “She has nailed being royal and yet still relatable. She is the shining star of a modern monarchy, and it’s no surprise that King Charles refers to her as his ‘beloved daughter-in-law,’” royal expert Jennie Bond told OK! magazine in January 2024.
Kate’s surprise engagement with her husband subtly pulls some of the headlines away from Harry while he’s in the U.K. The dynamic duo would never admit that was their intention, but it does send a message to royal fans who are paying attention: the feud is not over.
William reportedly isn’t thrilled that Charles might meet with his youngest son during the trip as a step toward reconciliation. The future king allegedly sees his father as “weak” for even considering letting Harry back into the family fold.
“William always said, ‘Just cut Andrew off completely. It’s not appropriate to have an alleged sex offender breaking bread with the royal family.’ Charles was so desperate to be seen as embodying the spirit of Christian forgiveness that he let Andrew back in,” a source told the Daily Beast recently. “William was right about Andrew, and he is right about Harry. Charles is weak. William is anything but weak.”
Charles might have forgiveness in his heart, but the Prince of Wales stubbornly does not. William is done with Harry. When he becomes King, everybody thinks the divide will become even wider,” a royal source told Us Weekly in August.
Instead, William and Kate will quietly go about their business with a jam-packed schedule this week while Harry tries to make amends.
Click here to see a complete timeline of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s feud with the royal family.
Kate Middleton, Prince William, Prince Harry, and Meghan Markle
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