Prince William And Kate Middleton Reportedly Came To Tough Conclusion Regarding Prince Harry's Upcoming Visit

Apr 16, 2024

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced to the world on January 8, 2020, that they would step down as senior working members of the British royal family in a move popularly dubbed “Megxit.” By spring of 2020, the transition was complete, and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were no longer performing royal duties. 

Prince Harry is King Charles III and the late Princess Diana’s youngest son. His older brother is Prince William. He now lives in the United States with Meghan and their two children. Although he and Meghan stepped down from their duties as senior royals, they have not shunned the spotlight, appearing at public charity events and pursuing their own creative and philanthropic ventures, many under their own brand, Archewell.

In the beginning, Harry’s relationship with Meghan seemed like a modern-day fairy tale that captured the world’s attention. The couple met on a blind date in July 2016 and immediately hit it off. By November 2016, news of their relationship had broken, and the couple faced intense media scrutiny. Meghan faced particular attention due to her American actress status and biracial background.

On November 27, 2017, Prince Harry and Meghan announced their engagement. The news was celebrated worldwide, with Meghan becoming the first American officially engaged to a British royal. The couple married on May 19, 2018, at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle.

However, the tension between Prince Harry, Meghan, and the royal family became a prominent aspect of their relationship, exacerbated by media coverage. And, in light of Kate Middleton’s cancer diagnosis, Harry’s relationship with his sister-in-law is once again under the spotlight. 

As reports of Harry’s return to the United Kingdom intensified because of the upcoming 2024 Invictus Games, sources revealed that the Prince of Wales allegedly made a difficult decision about Harry’s arrival. 

Meghan Markle, Prince Harry (2017), (IMAGO / Xinhua)

In Harry’s memoir, “Spare,” he shared how his relationship deteriorated with Kate when she seemed to be not clicking with his wife, Meghan. He detailed how Kate had made Meghan cry over a tailoring blunder. The flower girls, including Kate’s daughter Princess Charlotte, were set to wear “French couture” gowns for Meghan’s wedding, yet none had been fitted for these dresses. Harry wrote that he found Meghan “sobbing on the floor” after receiving a text from Kate saying the dress was so baggy and ill-fitting that Charlotte cried when trying it on at home. However, Harry wrote that “Kate hadn’t meant any harm” and arrived at their home the next day with flowers and a card to apologize.     

Harry also details another incident in which Kate “grimaced” when Meghan asked to use her lipgloss, and she visibly shuddered as his wife used her finger to put it on her lips.

Although it seems there is little love lost between the Sussexes and Wales, Harry and Meghan did issue a statement after Kate’s cancer diagnosis, saying they wished “health and healing for Kate and the family, and hope they are able to do so privately and in peace.” 

However, some are of the opinion that Harry must be feeling intense guilt following Kate’s cancer reveal. Author Tessa Dunlop surmised that Harry must be in a “painful place” and regret his treatment of Kate.

“When you do discover that your sister-in-law has cancer and you’ve written stuff that can’t be retracted, that’s quite a painful place to be in,” Dunlop said.

“They deliberately criticize the monarchy (and then offer) themselves as an alternative to monarchy. So then when the monarchy is in trouble, we do kind of make a comparison.”

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Prince William, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Harry (2016), (IMAGO / i Images)

In the past, Harry has spoken fondly about his relationship with Kate. 

"I felt she was more sister than in-law, the sister I'd never had and always wanted,” he detailed in “Spare.” 

The two couples seemed to have put their drama away when they showcased a united front to the public days after Queen Elizabeth’s death in 2022. William, Kate, Harry, and Meghan greeted the public and shook their hands as they accepted condolences from the mourning public. 

They were seen again during the burial of the late Queen days after but have yet to reunite again. As the news of Kate’s cancer diagnosis was revealed, it was reported that Harry and Meghan only knew about it at the same time that the public knew about it. 

Royal expert and author Tom Quinn spoke to The Mirror and claimed, "Meghan doesn’t feel guilty about Kate because she feels that Kate should’ve been the one person in the Royal family to back her against every difficulty. “ 

“Apart from anything else, Meghan knew Kate was an outsider, so she just couldn’t understand why Kate always towed the Royal line rather than supporting her, Meghan, the other outsider,” she added. 

In another interview with the publication, Quinn shared that Kate and William are already extending an olive branch to the Sussexes as they urge them to have Archie and Lilibet visit the UK. 

"There is no way Meghan would bring the children to the UK. William and Kate have suggested that Meghan and Harry bring the children and that the two couples and their families try to make up, but the suggestion is not leading anywhere so far,” Quinn claimed. 

Prince Harry, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William (2014), (IMAGO / Parsons Media)

Quinn told The Mirror in an interview that Meghan seemed to have no intentions of patching things up with Kate. He believed the public might mistake Meghan for fixing her relationship with the Princess of Wales only because of her health condition. 

"Kate’s cancer diagnosis has been a real shock for Meghan, but she can see no way to patch up the relationship simply because it has become so poisonous. She also doesn’t want people saying that she is trying to make things up with Kate just because Kate is ill. Meghan still feels Kate was in the wrong and should apologise before they try to build bridges,” Quinn furthered. 

Meanwhile, Quinn also pointed out that Meghan’s alleged indifference toward Kate and her refusal to patch things up seemed to be costing her husband. 

He insinuated that Harry is “torn” as he’s been forced to side with his wife against her sister-in-law, whom he has previously described as the sister he always wanted. 

"He really misses that warm, uncomplicated relationship, and he is torn between loyalty to his wife and regret about the loss of the woman he was so close to. Losing Kate was Harry’s second great loss after losing his mother."

Meanwhile, Harry is due to meet with his father, King Charles, who was also diagnosed with an unidentified type of cancer, in a “short and formal” meeting. Harry is bound to be in the UK again since the annual Invictus Games is starting in May 2024. 

“It won’t be quite so difficult for Harry to see his father, although that relationship is also fraught with pain and a sense of grievance. But Charles knows Harry had a difficult childhood for which he, Charles, was partly responsible and so he is more forgiving than William,” Quinn told The Mirror.

Prince William, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Harry (2017), (IMAGO / PA Images)

On April 9, 2024, a royal insider revealed to Page Six that there had been a buzz of King Charles possibly extending an olive branch to Prince Harry and Meghan to reunite with his grandchildren. 

“I can see Charles desperately wanting to see the children, and extending this olive branch to Meghan and Harry. He may decide that life is just too short,” the insider claimed to the outlet. “Balmoral is truly the perfect, restful place for a reunion. If he does issue an invite, then Harry and Meghan should surely agree to the visit.”

While Charles had seen Archie on many occasions before the Sussexes migrated to the United States, the outlet noted that he'd only met Lilibet in person once, in June 2022, during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations for the late Queen Elizabeth. At the time, the insider revealed that Charles spent time with his grandchildren during that visit, describing the encounter as “fantastic” and “very emotional.” 

“It was a fantastic visit, and, of course, the king was delighted to see his grandson and meet his granddaughter for the first time,” the source confirmed.

The last time Meghan set foot in the United Kingdom was when she attended the late Queen Elizabeth’s funeral in 2022. Archie and Lilibet, however, were left in California, being taken care of by Meghan’s mother. 

Meghan was absent on Charles’ coronation day because it coincided with Archie’s birthday. Harry, who attended, immediately left after the ceremony to head back to California. 

Should the reunion happen, it would be a positive moment for the British royal family, considering their recent unfortunate ordeals.

Meghan Markle, Prince Harry, Prince William, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (2018), ( IMAGO / Landmark Media)

According to a Daily Express source, Prince Harry is reported to return to the United Kingdom to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games. 

“The dates and details are being kept very hush-hush, but the Invictus Games 10th Anniversary Service has now been confirmed at St. Paul’s Cathedral on May 8,” the source said. “Both Harry and Meghan are listed as guests and a speech has been scheduled, but there is still a question mark over whether Meghan will make an appearance. Her name has been pencilled in as a TBC (to be confirmed).”

Following the reports of Harry’s arrival in the United Kingdom, the buzz over his possible meeting with William and Kate intensified. 

OK! sources have revealed that there were no scheduled meetings between the three upon Harry’s arrival on May 8, 2024, for a “very personal reason.” 

“William and Kate are very consciously focusing on positivity and recovery,” the source told OK! “Harry is due in London early next month, but there are no plans as of yet to meet with him while he’s over. He’s reached out and sent best wishes, but a meeting might be a little premature.” 

The source also added that there are still deliberations over whether Meghan will join him with the children because of security concerns. 

“If that happens, a meeting might be set up solely for the children’s sake, but it will be a long shot and not something William and Kate are focused on right now,” the source added. 

However, Royal commentator Jennie Bond told the magazine that Meghan not meeting the Wales would be her “kindest gesture” for now. 

“I don’t think her presence would make any reconciliation moves easier. I think she would, rightly, be nervous about the reception she might get from any public gathered outside the cathedral,” Bond said. 

Catherine, Princess of Wales, Prince William, Prince Harry, Meghan Markle (2022), ( IMAGO / i Images)

Do you think it would be a good idea for Meghan Markle to come with Prince Harry back to the United Kingdom? Do you think William and Kate would meet Harry? Let us know, and pass this on to your family, friends, and other loved ones out there!

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