LONDON — The long-running rift between Prince William and Prince Harry is facing a new and potentially decisive test as Harry prepares to return to Britain with Meghan Markle and their two children.
The Sussexes are expected to move from California to a private, non-royal residence outside London later this month, with Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, set to attend school in the United Kingdom in September. The family will remain non-working royals and is not expected to move into a royal residence.
The move marks a dramatic change for Harry, who left Britain with Meghan in 2020 after stepping back from royal duties. Since then, the couple have built a life in California while publicly discussing their experiences within the monarchy and their conflicts with the British media.
But Harry’s return is putting renewed attention on the person with whom reconciliation may be hardest: his older brother, Prince William.
From close brothers to bitterly divided royals
William and Harry were once among the most recognizable sibling pairs in the royal family.
Their bond was forged in childhood, particularly after the death of their mother, Princess Diana, in 1997. For years, the brothers appeared together at major royal occasions and charitable events.
That relationship deteriorated dramatically in the years following Harry’s marriage to Meghan in 2018.
The split intensified after the couple announced in 2020 that they would step away from senior royal duties and relocate to the United States. Harry and Meghan later spoke publicly about their experiences inside the monarchy, including in their 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, their Netflix documentary and Harry’s memoir, Spare.
Harry’s public revelations included deeply personal accounts of his relationship with William and allegations about disagreements within the royal household.
The result was a family rift that has proved remarkably difficult to repair.
Harry and King Charles appear to be on a different path
While relations with William remain tense, Harry’s relationship with his father, King Charles III, appears to have shown signs of improvement.
In July, Charles met Harry, Meghan and their children at Highgrove. It was reportedly the first time the King had seen Archie and Lilibet since 2022.
That meeting came after Harry repeatedly expressed a desire for reconciliation with his family.
PEOPLE, citing a source close to the family, described Harry’s return to Britain as potentially the best opportunity in years for the brothers to begin rebuilding their relationship. The source said such an opportunity would have been much harder while Harry remained in the United States.
But that optimism is far from universal.
William remains the biggest obstacle
Reports indicate that Harry and William currently have little or no direct contact.
PEOPLE reported that a source close to the family said there had been “no movement” in the relationship, particularly from William’s side.
The Guardian has similarly described the brothers as estranged, with royal commentators warning that Harry and Meghan’s return could create an uncomfortable dynamic around the future king and his family. One commentator even raised the possibility of competing centers of influence — what he described as “rival courts.”
That does not mean a confrontation is inevitable.
But Harry’s physical return to Britain means the brothers will once again be operating in the same royal orbit, making encounters — planned or otherwise — considerably more likely.
Why Harry is coming back
The Sussexes have not provided a detailed public explanation for every aspect of their decision.
However, several factors have emerged.
Their children are expected to attend British schools, and Harry has previously spoken about wanting Archie and Lilibet to have a stronger connection to Britain and their royal relatives.
The recent reunion with Charles also appears to have reopened a channel between father and son.
Harry’s continued connection to Britain through his charitable work, particularly the Invictus Games, is another factor.
At the same time, the family is not abandoning its American life entirely. Reuters reports that the Sussexes will retain their California home while establishing a longer-term base in Britain.
Security remains a major question
Harry’s return also comes against the backdrop of his long-running dispute over security arrangements in Britain.
After stepping down as a working royal, Harry lost the automatic security arrangements he previously received. He subsequently challenged decisions concerning his protection when visiting Britain.
The issue has been one of the major reasons Harry has previously expressed concern about bringing his family back to the country.
For now, Britain’s Prime Minister Andy Burnham has described the Sussexes’ security arrangements as a private matter. The precise details of their protection have not been publicly disclosed.
The media battle isn’t over either
Harry is also returning to a British media environment with which he has had a highly contentious relationship.
He has pursued multiple legal cases against British newspaper groups, alleging unlawful information gathering and invasions of privacy.
His latest major legal battle, involving the publisher of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday, ended in defeat for Harry and other claimants, according to AP and The Guardian.
That history could make the Sussexes’ return another major media spectacle — particularly if Harry and William begin appearing at the same public events.
Could Harry and William finally reconcile?
That remains the biggest unanswered question.
There is currently no confirmed announcement of a reconciliation, private meeting or renewed relationship between the brothers.
What has changed is proximity.
For six years, geographical distance helped keep the brothers’ fractured relationship largely separate from the day-to-day workings of the monarchy. Harry’s return removes that distance.
PEOPLE reports that people close to the family are hopeful the move could create opportunities for contact, while AP notes that repairing the relationship with William could prove considerably more difficult than rebuilding Harry’s relationship with Charles.
For the royal family, the stakes are bigger than a family disagreement.
William is the heir to the throne. Harry remains a globally recognizable member of the royal family, even though he no longer performs official duties.
Their relationship — whether repaired, frozen or publicly strained — could therefore become one of the defining personal dramas surrounding the next chapter of the British monarchy.
And with Harry and Meghan preparing to establish their family in Britain once again, the question is no longer whether the brothers will share the same country.
It is whether they will finally share the same room.
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