Prince Harry is celebrating his 42nd birthday just days after moving back to the UK, but his hopes of a family reunion have been dashed.
While the Duke of Sussex may have hoped to make amends, Prince William has sent a brutal message to his younger brother by booking a solo engagement on his birthday.
“William is definitely sending Harry a message, loud and clear, that he’s not interested in reuniting or making nice right now,” a royal insider tells New Idea.
“There’s been near zero contact between the brothers since the Sussexes returned to the UK, and that’s almost certainly the way it’s going to stay for the foreseeable future, birthdays or no birthdays.
“So any hope Harry may have had of playing nice and using this personal milestone as a pathway [towards peace] has totally evaporated now he’s committed to this event, which will take him way out of London and hundreds of miles from his brother.”
While Harry will celebrate his birthday with his wife, Meghan Markle, and their kids, Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five, at their new Cotswolds home, William will be hours away in Princetown, Dartmoor, launching a new regeneration scheme.
“For the people in both their worlds it’s no real surprise, given the extent of bad blood between the brothers right now,” our source says of William’s decision.
“To be fair to William, this event was apparently pencilled in some time ago and before the Sussexes made their return to the UK.
But he could easily have factored in a way to see his brother beforehand, or he could meet up with him later in the day or early evening.
“But by all accounts that’s not going to happen and William didn’t even consider the possibility.
“It’s given him a convenient excuse to put his head down and avoid what would certainly have been an extremely awkward encounter.”
Kate Middleton has been trying to play peacemaker between the brothers, wanting to “rise above” their differences, particularly now that Harry and Meghan are back on UK soil, but William is not budging.
“As sad as the situation is, what’s even more tragic is that no one can be remotely surprised. This reiterates just how estranged they are from each other right now,” our insider adds.
“It still stings for Harry though, no doubt. This is his first birthday back on UK soil in many years, a lot of people thought it would be a great opportunity for William to send out an olive branch and at least start the process of making nice.
“But instead he’s doubled down and totally ignored him, it’s as though his brother doesn’t exist.”
While Kate is thought to be interested in bringing about a ceasefire between William and Harry, she won’t go behind her husband’s back, New Ideaunderstands.
“Kate can’t forgive or forget how Harry and Meghan have treated her over the past few years,” our royal insider continues.
“But for the sake of peace, she is open to having an informal meeting with Harry to discuss the way forward. A Kate-Harry peace plan is on the cards.
“Kate is thinking bigger picture. She and William have more to lose by icing out the Sussexes – and she is quietly thinking about how a potential meeting could be the only way forward.”
But with William’s refusal to even consider a reunion with Harry, Kate’s hopes may already be dashed.
