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Kate Middleton, Prince William and their three children joined the royal family for church on Sunday, Aug. 23, near Balmoral Castle
The family’s outing comes just days after it was revealed that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are moving back to the U.K. with their kids
A source close to the family tells PEOPLE that having Harry back in Britain presents the “best opportunity” for the brothers to heal their fractured relationship
Kate Middleton and Prince William attended church with the royal family amid their summer getaway at Balmoral Castle.
The Prince and Princess of Wales, both 44, were photographed with their children — Prince George, 13, Princess Charlotte, 11, and Prince Louis, 8 — in a car heading toward the service at Crathie Kirk, the church near Balmoral Castle, on Sunday, Aug. 23.
Joining the five for the church service were other members of the royal family, including King Charles and Queen Camilla.
Charles’ sister, Princess Anne, was also in attendance alongside her husband, Sir Timothy Laurence, as were Prince Edward and his daughter Lady Louise.
Prince William and Prince George on Sunday, Aug. 23
Credit: Photo by Peter Summers/Getty
The Prince and Princess of Wales’ family reportedly arrived in Scotland on Thursday, Aug. 20. Balmoral has been a summer refuge for the royal family since the reign of Queen Victoria. Generations of royals have spent their time exploring the 50,000-acre estate, where days are filled with outdoor activities like hunting, fishing and horseback riding.
Prince William and Princess Kate’s arrival came just one day after PEOPLE revealed that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are relocating their family to the U.K. for an extended period of time beginning this month, with Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, set to start school there in September. It’s understood that King Charles was made aware of the news just days earlier, on Sunday, Aug. 16.
Prince Harry’s return to the U.K. comes only weeks after his family’s reunion with King Charles last month, which marked the first time that the British monarch had seen Meghan, Archie and Lili in four years. Despite the positive step with his father, Harry’s bond with William remains deeply strained and distant, with “no contact,” a source told PEOPLE last month.
Tensions between the brothers have grown deeper since Harry and Meghan stepped back from their royal duties in 2020, with personal conflicts and rifts detailed in the couple’s bombshell 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, their Harry & Meghan Netflix docuseries and Harry’s memoir, Spare.
The Princess of Wales on Sunday, Aug. 23
Credit: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty
However, a source tells PEOPLE that having Harry back in Britain presents the “best opportunity” for the brothers to reconcile.
“It would never happen with him in America,” the source says. “This gives them the opportunity to try and mend that bridge.”
Prince Harry and Prince William attend the unveiling of a statue of their mother, Princess Diana, at The Sunken Garden in Kensington Palace on July 1, 2021
Credit: DOMINIC LIPINSKI/POOL/AFP via Getty
Being back in Britain could naturally create more opportunities for contact between the brothers, “whether they want it or not,” the source tells PEOPLE. Other members of the royal family may also play a role in encouraging reconciliation.
“Catherine may step into that breach and try to help, too, because she knows how important family is and how important Harry is to William,” the source says. “She would want to see that healed, as any wife would. This gives them opportunity to try and mend that bridge.”
The source adds that King Charles “will want to see his sons together over time. This is the best opportunity we have seen in recent years.”
Prince Harry previously voiced his wishes to restore relationships with his family, telling the BBC in May 2025, “I would love reconciliation with my family. There’s no point in continuing to fight anymore.”
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The timing for Harry and Meghan’s move back to the U.K. may have been influenced by a professional opportunity for the Duchess of Sussex. On Friday, Aug. 21, PEOPLE learned that Meghan has been offered a major new project, marking her most significant role since leaving Suits. Later in the day, it was revealed that she was in talks for a role in Netflix’s The Gentlemen.
The second season of the Guy Ritchie-created drama premieres Sept. 3, and a source tells PEOPLE that a third season is expected to be announced soon. The talks are in “very early stages,” according to Deadline, while The Hollywood Reporter reports that the role “is currently being written, so it’s unclear how many episodes [Meghan] would appear in.”
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