Tensions among the royal family have been building for years. Examine the family feud and the compelling reasons behind Prince William and Princess Kate’s refusal to welcome Prince Harry and Meghan Markle back into the royal family.

Previously, people regarded the British royal family as a close-knit unit, frequently portraying Princes William and Harry as inseparable. However, that image has increasingly eroded over time, particularly after Harry’s marriage to Meghan Markle.

While the public may hope for a reunion, some close to the royals believe the chance is more doubtful than ever. What issues are preventing a royal reunion? The reported response provides significant insight into the current split.

Tensions between Harry and the royal family, notably his brother William, have been building for years. What began as a family relationship between two brothers has evolved into a severe schism, exacerbated by personal, familial, and public demands.

2019 saw the breakdown of Harry’s relationship with the rest of the royal family, especially his brother.

This was a particularly trying year for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who battled with constant media scrutiny and the emotional toll it had on them.

Meghan freely acknowledged experiencing tremendous mental suffering as a result of relentless abuse from British tabloids, which included a “race element,” according to Harry.

Harry, recalling the sorrow of losing his mother, Princess Diana, at such a young age, stated, “Yes, I feared—I feared a lot—that the end result, the fact that I lost my mom when I was 12 years old, could easily happen again to my wife.”

By the end of the year, it was evident that the brothers were taking more divergent paths. Tensions between them had risen, and Harry detailed an event at his Kensington Palace cottage that demonstrated how far the gap had spread.

According to Harry, following a heated disagreement in early 2019, William grew so furious that he physically assaulted his younger brother. The incident allegedly escalated from a yelling battle to a physical assault, causing Harry to fall to the floor and land on a dog dish.

The Duke of Sussex saw the dispute as more than just a conflict between siblings; it was also a defense of his bride, as William’s anger was directed at Meghan.

Certain members of his staff had swayed William, and the tabloid press’s portrayal of Meghan had captivated him. The British media’s attention on her history—she is American, multiracial, divorced, and an actress—heightened the royal family’s first concern.

Harry recognized that many of William’s claims were false, but they added to the two brothers’ growing hatred.

When Harry initially introduced Meghan to the royal family in 2016, the reception was not as positive as he had planned. While King Charles III, then the Prince of Wales, seemed to enjoy Meghan, William was apprehensive.

He reportedly dismissed her as “an American actress.” As time passed, the brothers grew apart. By the time Meghan and Harry chose to stand down from their royal obligations in early 2020, it was evident that the schism had grown significantly.

The Sussexes’ withdrawal from royal life stunned the public and allegedly surprised William, exacerbating his frustrations. The brothers were once believed to be inseparable after their mother’s untimely death, but their lives had drastically changed since then.

While Prince William prepared for his future position as king, Harry sought a new life away from the royal limelight, placing his family’s well-being over royal duties.

In one of the most intimate passages of his 2021 book, “Spare,” Harry pondered on his connection with William. He recounted an encounter where he witnessed his brother’s transformation over time.

Despite this pointed assessment, Harry insisted that he loved his brother and had no wish to injure him with his words. Instead, he wanted to clarify that Meghan was not to blame for their relationship’s demise.

Despite Harry’s emotions, there was limited communication between the two brothers. Harry confessed during his interview with Anderson Cooper in 2023 that he and his brother were not on speaking terms.

The growing schism also affected his connection with their father, with whom Harry claimed he had not communicated in quite some time.

While William apparently professed a wish to reconcile with his brother, he had made no major progress toward that aim and was not in a hurry to repair the two families’ damaged connections.

“William wants to strengthen his connection with his brother, but they aren’t communicating right now. So when it will occur is still unknown,” a source told US Weekly in 2023. Princess Kate, on the other hand, has shown no desire to rekindle her friendship with Harry or Meghan.

According to sources, the Princess of Wales had no wish to contact the Sussexes since she had been through too much to feel comfortable with any type of reconciliation.

While many hoped for a reunion between William, Kate, and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, the truth is considerably more difficult. The tension in their relationship is more than just wounded egos or sibling rivalry; it stems from unsolved betrayals that continue to split the two families.

According to the Daily Mail, the first reason William and Kate won’t be welcomed is because Harry is standing by and happily married to Meghan, who publicly claimed during her 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey that Kate made her cry and accused the Royals of racism, though she never named anyone.

A close friend of Harry and Meghan then speculated that those involved were Charles and Kate, which fueled more hostility among the family.

The second reason cited is that the future king and his wife chose not to publicly express their displeasure. During Harry and Meghan’s media confessions, William responded once to a reporter’s question about the allegations of racism within the royal family. “We are definitely not a racist family,” William responded.

Insiders claimed that William’s rage was even more intense. The allegations and insults flung from across the Atlantic left wounds, and there was a persistent dread that any attempt to reconcile would end in additional betrayal.

William’s hesitation to welcome his brother back stems from a wish to maintain his family’s privacy. In the years since their departure from the royal family, Harry and Meghan’s admissions have continually brought unfavorable attention to William and his wife.

A royal acquaintance said, “It’s difficult to imagine a reunion. Given William and Catherine’s legitimate concerns about their words appearing in a future book or on television, how could a reunion take place?

Despite Prince Harry’s presence at family gatherings, any possibility of reconciliation is remote. Though some observers believed that this may be a sign of thawing relations, officials promptly dismissed the idea, claiming that no such reunion was on the horizon.

“There will be no reunion until Harry and Meghan apologize to their Royal Highnesses for everything they have said, and there is no sign that is likely,” a source told the Daily Mail.

One social media user commented on the incident, “Nobody would put up with a friend treating them the same way, so why should they have to forgive them?”

Another individual expressed, “It’s likely that he seeks reconciliation because he’s awakened from a dream and perceives reality as a nightmare.” He does not want to be alone when things do not go as planned.”

A third person said, “I don’t think there will ever be a full reconciliation as long as Harry remains married to Meghan.” “Prince William is not alone in not welcoming Harry and Markle back; I suspect the majority of the UK wouldn’t want them back either after the way they publicly insulted this country,” wrote a fourth person.

The royal family’s personal difficulties have taken on new dimensions with Charles and Kate’s recent health issues. These personal fights have complicated the process of reconciling with Harry and Meghan, adding emotional weight to an already tense relationship.

Buckingham Palace revealed in February 2024 that Charles had undergone a routine surgery to treat a benign prostate enlargement. During the procedure, physicians discovered a “form of cancer.”

The announcement startled the public. While the Palace did not identify the stage or kind of cancer, it did announce Prince Charles will withdraw from public appearances while performing vital official obligations.

According to the Palace, the King thanked his medical staff and announced his diagnosis to dispel rumors and boost cancer awareness.

“His Majesty has chosen to share his diagnosis to prevent speculation and in the hope it may assist public understanding for all those around the world who are affected by cancer,” according to the Palace statement.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak provided the British public with additional details about the King’s condition, reassuring them of the early detection of the cancer.

In the aftermath of the announcement, Harry allegedly returned to the UK to see his father, while William, the heir to the throne, stepped forward to take on greater public obligations as the monarchy adjusted to these abrupt changes.

A month later, in March, Kate shared her own health struggle in a touching Instagram post. In January, she underwent significant abdominal surgery for an initially assumed non-cancerous ailment, but doctors discovered a malignancy. This prompted her to begin prophylactic chemotherapy shortly thereafter.

“It has been an incredibly tough couple of months for our entire family,” Kate wrote, reflecting on the emotional cost. She told how she and William gently presented her illness to their children, George, Charlotte, and Louis, soothing them as they dealt with their own shock.

By September, Kate had finished treatment and cheerfully delivered the news. She described how the voyage had given her a new perspective on life and a desire to stay healthy.

“Despite all that has gone before, I enter this new phase of recovery with a renewed sense of hope and appreciation of life,” Kate told me.

Kate went on, “William and I are so grateful for the support we have received, and we have drawn great strength from all those who are assisting us at this time.” Everyone’s warmth, sensitivity, and compassion have been incredibly moving.”

In October, Kate resumed her royal responsibilities, offering hope and inspiration to a young photographer at Windsor Castle. The event was a gentle reminder of her commitment to rehabilitate while still serving the public.

Amidst these personal issues, Charles finds it impossible to reconcile with Harry. According to reports, the King is hesitant to contact Harry because he is concerned that it may complicate his ongoing court struggle with the UK government over security arrangements.

Experts caution that the King could face “legal jeopardy” if the King’s habit of discussing private family conversations, as evidenced by his memoir “Spare,” in which he allegedly misremembered events, comes up in court.

The schism between Prince William, Princess Kate, and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex has widened due to the persistent mistrust of private admissions, and it appears that it will not heal.

Without an apology or serious moves toward healing, the rift between the brothers and their spouses is likely to remain for the foreseeable future.