Prince Harry has started taking some tentative steps towards a reconciliation with King Charles but making up with Prince William is proving trickier – and could be even more important. Writing in Woman, royal biographer Duncan Larcombe suggested that the future might not be rosy for Harry if they haven’t repaired their relationship by the time his brother is the monarch.
“Harry would benefit from building bridges with William, not least because of what revenge he could and may likely take once he becomes King,” he claimed, before citing a source who believes the Duke of Sussex is well aware of the potential results.
“Harry may be many things but he is not stupid,” they alleged. “He knows that if he remains at war with his brother, when the time comes for William to take the throne the consequences for him could be severe.”
(Image credit: Photo by Kirsty O’Connor – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
There’s already been speculation that King William might look to strip his brother’s royal titles. A few years ago this would’ve been unprecedented, but after King Charles did just that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor it’s sounding a lot less ridiculous now.
Duncan believes that if this happens it would be a “bitter blow” for Prince Harry, who is, after all, still fifth in the royal line of succession and a Counsellor of State as it stands. Meghan is only Duchess of Sussex due to her marriage to Harry, so if he loses his Dukedom and Princely title she’d lose hers too.
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Then there’s the matter of Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, who took on their titles in 2022 when they became the grandchildren of the reigning monarch. Emily Andrews, Woman’s Royal Editor previously said she thinks it’s “obvious” that uncle William “will, at the very least” strip their Prince/Princess titles when he’s King.
Prince Harry apparently knows exactly what he and his family could face but whether he has any power to prevent it is something else. The Prince of Wales didn’t see him during the Sussexes’ UK visit in July and he’s not spoken publicly about them moving back last month.
All the signs seem to indicate that he’s not that interested in making peace with Prince Harry and is quietly getting on with his life with Kate and their children.
“A key decision for William and Catherine has been shutting Harry and Meghan out, for their own well-being, as well as for the protection and prosperity of the institution,” claimed royal author Russell Myers in his book, William & Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story.
The biographer also alleged that the Princess of Wales was “less interested” in trying to persuade her brother-in-law to stay as a working royal in 2020 than William had been. It looks like it would take a lot for William and Harry to have the kind of “reconciliation” the Duke of Sussex says he wants with his family.
Next year is the 30th anniversary of Princess Diana’s death and now that Harry is back living in the UK, so perhaps there could be some sort of olive branch extended. By the sounds of it, it would reportedly be a lot better for the Duke of Sussex if they made peace whilst his brother is still Prince of Wales anyway…
Read royal biographer Duncan Larcombe’s full feature in Woman magazine. Subscribe now and get your first 6 issues for £1.