Prince William could find it increasingly difficult to avoid the growing possibility of a reconciliation between his father, King Charles, and his younger brother, Prince Harry, a royal expert has suggested.
Harry is reportedly more determined than ever to rebuild his relationship with Charles after stepping away from royal duties. One potential milestone could come next year, when Harry hopes his father might appear alongside him at the Invictus Games in Birmingham, possibly during the opening or closing ceremony.
Harry’s relationship with Charles appears to be thawing
The speculation follows Harry’s emotional reunion with Charles at Highgrove last month. During the meeting, the King saw Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet for the first time in four years.
Harry is understood to want more opportunities for his father to spend time with his grandchildren, suggesting that he hopes to continue rebuilding their relationship.
However, the situation appears very different when it comes to William and Catherine, Princess of Wales.
There is currently little indication that William is ready to repair his relationship with Harry. The brothers are believed to remain deeply estranged, with royal circles reportedly expecting little chance of Harry returning to the wider family in any meaningful way.
When Harry, Meghan and their children met Charles and Queen Camilla at Highgrove last month, William and Kate were around 90 miles away attending a charity polo event in Windsor.
The brothers are also reported not to have spoken since the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022. Harry later made critical comments about William and Kate in his 2023 memoir, Spare.
Could Catherine become a peacemaker?
Royal expert and former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond told the Mirror that William appears focused on his family and royal responsibilities rather than reopening the painful dispute with Harry.
But that could become increasingly difficult if Harry begins returning to Britain more regularly and continues spending time with their father.
Bond suggested Catherine could potentially help bridge the divide, but only if she believed reconciliation was something William genuinely wanted.
She stressed that there is currently no indication that this is the case, while acknowledging that feelings and circumstances can change over time.
Former Scotland Yard Royal Protection Command chief Dai Davies was similarly cautious about the possibility of the brothers eventually making peace.
He pointed to Harry’s previous public comments about William and suggested that publicly exposing family disagreements could make reconciliation more difficult.
Harry hopes for a reunion at the Invictus Games
Harry originally launched the Invictus Games in London in 2014 with public support from Charles, Camilla and William.
But the last time Harry and his father appeared together publicly was at Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in September 2022.
Now, Harry reportedly hopes the 2027 Invictus Games in Birmingham could provide an opportunity for another public appearance with Charles.
Bond said there was little doubt that Charles would prefer a better relationship with his son, but warned that the King faces a difficult balancing act.
Charles, she explained, must navigate his desire to rebuild his relationship with Harry without damaging his relationship with William.
Harry’s UK visits could become more frequent
Harry could potentially make more trips to Britain if his campaign to restore automatic taxpayer-funded security succeeds.
The Duke lost a High Court case in February 2025 after the court concluded that the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures, known as Ravec, had been right to downgrade his police protection when he returns to Britain.
Harry has argued that the security issue makes it too dangerous for Meghan and their children to visit the UK.
A spokesman for the Duke said the family continues to face an ongoing security risk because of Harry’s birth and his membership of the Royal Family.
Harry has continued lobbying the Home Secretary for an urgent review after providing a report from his private security company claiming he remains a terrorism target.
The family reunion that happened away from the spotlight
Harry and Meghan recently managed to travel to Britain without attracting widespread attention before meeting Charles at Highgrove. Harry also visited Althorp, where Princess Diana is buried.
Meghan later shared photographs from their UK trip and a holiday in Portugal on Instagram under the caption “Summer Holiday.”
Davies pointed to Harry’s discreet Highgrove visit as evidence that private trips to Britain can be arranged without a major public presence.
For now, Charles appears to be taking cautious steps toward rebuilding his relationship with Harry. But if those meetings become more frequent — and especially if the King and his younger son eventually appear together at the Invictus Games — the question of how William responds could become increasingly difficult to avoid.