Prince Harry’s long-awaited return to the UK for a private meeting with King Charles was a glimmer of hope for those hoping for a royal reconciliation, but any progress seems to have been undone
William visited the heart of the Amazon(Image: Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)
The Palace is never short of drama. When Prince Harry reunited with his ailing father after 19 months, there was a glimmer of hope – could this secret afternoon tea signal peace at last?
However, the delicate progress made during a covert ‘peace summit’ between the Sussexes and the Palace over the summer now appears to be unraveling, with both parties once again briefing against each other – bringing the late Queen’s infamous ‘recollections may vary’ statement back into the spotlight.
Just two weeks ago, Prince William was on the brink of landing in Brazil for his most significant solo assignment yet as future King. The five-day visit for this year’s Earthshot Awards was filled with engagements, attracting hundreds of spectators eager to see William.
READ MORE: Prince William proves he and Prince Harry still have key thing in common despite their falloutREAD MORE: Royal Family make subtle swipe at Prince Harry as eagle-eyed fans notice detailHigh profile visit overshadowed
He met with conservationists, delivered a speech at COP30, and even went full dad-mode while holding a 10-month-old baby and chatting with locals.
However, the high-profile event was somewhat eclipsed by the news that Harry was planning his own trip at the same time. As William touched down, he reportedly learned that his estranged brother would be traveling to Toronto, Canada, participating in several events with veterans to commemorate Remembrance Day, reports the Mirror.
In the same week, Harry penned a heartfelt letter about what it means to be British, despite self-exiling to the States.
Prince Harry and Prince William’s ‘war’ has been reignited after the Duke of Sussex’s trip to Canada was announced at the same time as his brother’s visit to Brazil
The ‘heir and the spare’ ended up supporting their most passionate causes thousands of miles apart, but unintentionally found themselves in competition on the global stage. With Royal experts and commentators making much of the uncomfortable timing clash, Harry’s representatives felt compelled to release a statement clarifying that the Duke had no intention of overshadowing his brother with his announcement.
Team Sussex explained the scheduling was entirely dictated by Harry’s security requirements. However, friction continues as Palace insiders now claim they received no advance notice of Harry’s visit – contradicting his assertions.
Addressing the initial criticism, Harry’s team clarified that his international travel can only be made public at specific times based on guidance from security advisers, since the prince is “not afforded the same level of security and protection as other working members of the Royal Family”.
Prince Harry and Prince William’s ‘war’ has been reignited after the Duke of Sussex’s trip to Canada was announced at the same time as his brother’s visit to Brazil(Image: BACKGRID)
A spokesperson for the Duke also noted that Harry was in Canada for Remembrance events – with dates Harry had no control over.
The Duke’s office subsequently stated the Palace had been notified beforehand of the Canada visit “as a courtesy,” yet Royal insiders have now disputed receiving such notification, creating uncertainty about whether it was delivered and to whom. A source told The Times that it was “a bit rum” to claim the Palace had been informed when neither Buckingham Palace nor Kensington Palace seemed to have received any advanced notice of the trip before it was announced to the media.
It’s still unclear who was informed of Harry’s visit, but The Mirror has reached out to his team for clarification.
Kim pictured with Meghan at the bash(Image: @kimkardashian/Instagram)
That same weekend, while Princess Kate and Prince George were joining the King and Queen at the moving Festival of Remembrance in London to honor the sacrifices of our armed forces, Harry was living it up with Meghan at Kris Jenner’s James Bond-themed birthday bash.
Photos of the Sussexes surfaced on Remembrance Sunday morning, showing Harry in a sleek black tuxedo and poppy.
However, the behind-the-scenes snaps disappeared as quickly as they appeared, with Kim Kardashian mysteriously deleting photos of Harry and Meghan from the event off her social media.
Harry and Meghan didn’t consent to pictures being shared
Speculation was rife, but then it was reported that Meghan and Harry did not consent to having their pictures taken inside the party shared publicly, according to People, the couple’s preferred US publication. The magazine claimed the couple allegedly chose the ‘no’ option on a photo consent form, resulting in the images being removed from Kris and Kim’s social media pages.
However, a source close to the event has since debunked this claim, telling the Daily Mail that ‘there were no consent forms’, leading to renewed confusion about why the photos disappeared. In the same week, Prince Harry raised eyebrows with an essay titled ‘The Bond, The Banter, The Bravery: What it means to be British – By Prince Harry’.
In his letter, he reflected on Remembrance and those who fell in war, also reminiscing about the “banter of the mess, the clubhouse, the pub, the stands” as the very “things that make us British”.
But beyond the romanticism, one communications specialist suggested that the essay held several hints about his future plans. Judi James highlighted a particular paragraph written by Harry, which states: “Though currently, I may live in the United States, Britain is, and always will be, the country I proudly served and fought for. The banter of the mess, the clubhouse, the pub, the stands ridiculous as it sounds, these are the things that make us British. I make no apology for it. I love it.”
Prince Harry and Prince William’s ‘war’ has been reignited after the Duke of Sussex’s trip to Canada was announced at the same time as his brother’s visit to Brazil(Image: Instagram/angelapearlastrology)
She told the Mirror: “‘Though currently, I may live in the United States,’ is the intriguing line though, both for its phrasing and its use of punctuation. ‘Though I now live in the United States’ would be a statement of non-negotiable fact.
“But Harry adds ‘currently’ and ‘may’ to make it sound less fixed and solid. The use of the word ‘currently’ sounds negotiable, appearing to hint at a return to the UK. It’s a word that leaves things open, like: ‘I’m currently single’ would imply a desire to get married or ‘I’m currently unemployed’ would suggest someone is searching for work.”
Judi continued: “It sounds like a teaser in terms of a return to the UK… Harry’s choice of wording hints that he’s not only possibly homesick but that a return of some sort might be on the horizon.”
Prince William catches a baby who is thrust into his arms on a visit to Paqueta island in Brazil today(Image: Getty Images)
Meanwhile, Royal commentator Jennie Bond suggests William’s fresh, candid interview style makes him appear far more relatable. While in Brazil, the prince sat down with Brazilian TV presenter Luciano Huck, who hosted the Earthshot Prize Awards ceremony, speaking frankly about his family life.
William talked about the challenging decision he and Princess Kate face regarding whether to allow their oldest son, Prince George, to own a cell phone, while also revealing how he and Kate chose to be transparent and straightforward with their three kids about their mom’s cancer diagnosis last year. Jennie, a Royal expert, suggests that these open discussions about personal matters indicate a shift in the Royal family’s approach.
Speaking to The Mirror, she said: “When I was the BBC’s Royal correspondent, it was the dream to get a proper interview with any member of the royal family. And it remained just a dream. Charles and Diana did, in the end, do sit down interviews – though not with me. Both were disasters. So I can quite understand that William is choosing to do things in a different way. And I think it’s working.
Harry gives veteran Villa Shah, 91, a kiss on the hands(Image: AP)
“A formal sit-down interview is inevitably rather stiff and staged. William has found a way of allowing us to know some of his most personal thoughts and feelings in a very natural and rather charming way. And his words are reaching a multigenerational and far broader audience than if he did a formal interview with mainstream media. So, even though I’d find it extremely annoying if I were still the royal correspondent for one of the main TV stations, I think William has hit on an excellent strategy.”
This comes after Harry and Meghan seemed to hint at a significant upcoming trip abroad. The Duke and Duchess apparently disclosed their potential travel plans to celebrity astrologer Angela Pearl during an event in New York City, expressing their desire to visit Australia again soon.
Prince Harry and Prince William’s ‘war’ has been reignited after the Duke of Sussex’s trip to Canada was announced at the same time as his brother’s visit to Brazil(Image: meghan/Instagram)
In a letter dated October 24, the couple reportedly wrote to Ms. Pearl: “We want to thank you for joining us. Your energy and insight were such a welcome addition. On a separate note, we hope your family in Ukraine remains safe, and we look forward to staying in touch, especially as we look to visit Australia again.”
The famed astrologer is originally from Ukraine but has been living on Australia’s Gold Coast in Queensland for quite some time. While there’s no official confirmation of their trip to Australia, rumors are starting to circulate that Harry and Meghan will be visiting the country where they had their first Royal tour as a married couple back in 2018.
Their trip seven years ago coincided with the announcement that Meghan was expecting their first child, Archie.