Prince William will not seek out his brother Prince Harry in the near future, despite the public call for reconciliation made by the Duke of Sussex. This was stated by Tom Sykes, European editor of the „Daily Beast“ and author of „The Royalist“, to „Page Six“.
„Will William respond? I would be amazed if he responded publicly. He never does, and his silence is the answer itself,” Sykes said.
According to him, Harry and William haven’t spoken since 2022, and the Duke of Sussex’s interview with GQ magazine won’t change that. Sykes added that William was probably disappointed with the way the topic of the brothers’ relationship was being brought up in public.
“Being lectured publicly about reconciliation by the person who caused the problem is exactly what William finds the hardest to forgive,“ said Tom Sykes.
In his interview,Harry said he wants his relationship with William to improve. “I want it to work. Of course I do. With everything else going on in the world, the most important thing is that we reconcile. That's the key," he said.
Prince Harry added that "some people don't want this to happen." His words were seen as a possible reference to members of the royal family, but his spokesman denied this.
“This was definitely not intended as an attack on his brother or any other member of the family. The comment was made in a general context and was in no way directed at his family,“ the spokesperson said.
The conflict between the brothers
Harry and William have been in conflict since Harry and Meghan Markle gave up their royal duties and moved to California in 2020. The two have since spoken publicly about their family relationship on numerous occasions, and Harry made a number of allegations in his memoir “The Spare“, published in 2023.
In the book Prince Harry claims that Prince William physically assaulted him during an argument about Meghan, called her “difficult“, “rude“ and “aggressive“, and warned him not to propose to her. Harry also accuses William and his wife Catherine of encouraging him to wear a Nazi uniform to a private party in 2005.
It is unclear whether Harry has personally apologised to William and Catherine for the allegations. He has yet to re-establish personal contact with his brother since returning to the UK in August.
Return to the UK
Harry and Meghan returned to the UK after six years in California, with Harry saying the aim was for their children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet to attend British schools and to create more opportunities for the family.
King Charles III has made it clear that the pair will remain private citizens and will not carry out official royal duties. Harry and his father have taken steps to improve their relationship, but there is no immediate sign of a reconciliation between him and William.