Among the first to react on the evening of the video announcement of Kate’s cancer, the Duke of Sussex and his wife Meghan, quick to compassion, do not seem to be expected in London however. Prince Harry is planning a May trip, but nothing is official yet.
In their well wishes for recovery addressed to the Princess of Wales on March 22, Harry and Meghan wish “health and healing to Kate and her family”. “Kate” and not “Catherine” as Harry always called her, in public at least. A familiarity which denotes a certain spontaneity, very unusual, of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. And for good reason: having not been informed of the Princess of Wales’ cancer and even less of her surprise video announcement, Prince Harry and his wife found themselves obliged to quickly write a public message, in parallel with their exchanges private with William and his wife. Forget the formalities, of course, but what about the enmity between the two couples? Nothing new under the sun. If the youngest son of Charles III jumped on a plane when his father was diagnosed with cancer on February 5, it seems unlikely that he would do the same to visit his sister-in-law.
Prince William is currently carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders between his wife’s cancer and that of his father. In this context, a rapprochement with his brother seems relegated to the background. According to the Telegraph, some sources close to the Prince and Princess of Wales suggest that “given what the family is currently enduring, the ‘Harry problem’ is the least of their concerns.” About ten days ago, the two enemy brothers decided not to cross paths, even virtually at the Diana Legacy Awards, an awards ceremony that bears the name of their mother: Prince William made a speech, while the Prince Harry waits for him to leave the premises to address the winners by videoconference. Proof that no warming of relations seems to be on the agenda, let alone an eleven-hour plane ride.
For William, trust is broken
“From what I understand from my sources at the palace, they are hiding their faces if they think they can be invited back to the territory,” confides biographer Tom Quinn to the Mirror, about the Sussexes. According to some experts, Harry wants to regain a more active role in the monarchy, in order to help his father and brother. Not an option for Prince William who no longer has any confidence in his younger brother to the point of not informing him of the diagnosis of his wife’s illness before its revelation to the public.
In addition to the damaged bond between the two formerly inseparable brothers, there is also the deterioration of the lovely relationship that Prince Harry and Kate had a few years ago: the latter represented for him “the sister he never had.” never had” and a shoulder to rely on during his years of singlehood. In the 2010s, with William, the three of them went out to work and have fun, spoke out about mental health, and seemed to get along wonderfully.
The arrival of Meghan in the royal family creates a chill between the Duke of Sussex and his sister-in-law. Prince Harry in fact accuses Kate of not having welcomed his wife as she should. The exile of the Duke of Sussex and his way of washing his dirty laundry in public have put an end to the cordial relations between the two. Prince William’s wife remains, despite everything, the “mediator” of the trio. At the funeral of Prince Philip on April 17, 2021, she is the one who tries to create a bond between the two brothers. Today, she is the one who needs support and managing this family conflict is obviously not her priority.
Prince Harry in London in May?
The only possible window for a return of Prince Harry to British territory: the mass scheduled for May 8 at St Paul’s Cathedral in honor of ten years of the Invictus Games, the sports tournament created by the Duke of Sussex for veterans of the army. The trip does not yet seem planned, but the youngest of Charles III is keen on this event which he has thought of from A to Z. A great opportunity for Prince Harry to renew warmer contact with his brother and sister-in-law if they hold on to it. Not sure that Meghan and the children will be on the trip: since Harry lost his case against the British Interior Ministry on February 28, it has been established that he will not benefit from any automatic police protection during his visits to the United Kingdom and will therefore have to finance it himself. Coming with his family to London is now proving very expensive for him. Could he still attempt the trip with his family?
This article is originally published on pointdevue.fr
