It seems things are back to business as usual for the estranged brothers after the funeral of their uncle, Lord Robert Fellowes, on August 28, where Prince Harry and Prince William were both in attendance but reportedly “kept their distance.”
In response to reports that Harry, 39, was interested in performing some royal duties in the UK, a friend of William, 42, called Harry “a broken record” and warned that “he is not wanted” in his native country anymore.
The Mirror reported Wednesday that the Duke of Sussex is “open” to taking on royal duties again if his father King Charles III were to ask, four years after moving from the UK to California — but the main contingency lies in whether he receives an “apology” from his older brother.
“We all know he would love to be given a part-time royal role, but Queen Elizabeth was very clear that he couldn’t be half in and half out,” the friend told the Daily Beast.
“Nothing has changed. Whoever is promulgating these ludicrous theories on Harry’s behalf is simply pretending to not get the message that he is not wanted. They are either very thick or pretending to be.”
William and Harry have not spoken for months and currently have no contact. Friends of Harry said he is aware of his brother’s feelings on the matter after an outlet previously revealed Prince William suggested there was “zero chance” he would be welcomed back into the fold after penning his tell-all memoir, Spare.
At their first encounter since Charles’ coronation in May 2023, the brothers did not speak a word to each other, according to multiple attendees at the memorial service in Norfolk for their late mother Princess Diana’s brother-in-law.
Friends of the Spencers—Diana’s family—who spoke to the Daily Beast were increasingly optimistic about the future of Harry and William’s relationship after their recent appearances.
“It was probably always going to be a funeral that brought the boys together under one roof, and the fact that William didn’t boycott it because Harry was going to be there has cast a glimmer of hope in an otherwise deeply depressing impasse,” they said.