Prince William Has 'Learned' to Live Without Harry as Royal Experts Say Brothers' Feud Reaches Breaking Point

LONDON — The rift between Prince William and Prince Harry shows no sign of healing, royal commentators say, even though the Duke of Sussex and his family have returned to Britain and Harry has repeatedly said he wants to reconcile.

Royal biographer Christopher Andersen, author of "Kate!," told Fox News Digital that neither brother believes he owes the other an apology. "Reconciliation is not in the cards," he said.

Andersen described the brothers as "two extraordinarily strong and stubborn men" who have learned over the past few years that they can live without each other. He noted that the death of Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles III's coronation and the cancer diagnoses of both the king and the Princess of Wales had not brought them together.

No apology planned

The latest comments follow conflicting reports about a possible apology. Britain's Express had reported that Harry and Meghan hoped to apologize to the Prince and Princess of Wales over remarks made in their 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey. That interview included Meghan's account of "concerns and conversations" within the royal family about how dark Prince Archie's skin might be before he was born.

A source close to the couple told People magazine that the report was "nonsense," and that Harry and Meghan are not planning to apologize.

People also reported that while Harry has made progress in rebuilding his relationship with his father, there has been no movement, especially on William's side.

Fox News Digital said it reached out to Archewell and Kensington Palace for comment.

Harry's return to Britain

The feud has taken on new urgency since the Sussexes moved back. The couple returned to the U.K. with their children in August 2026 for an extended stay. Andersen said Harry's return and "picking up where he left off" had only deepened William's resentment.

William did not meet his brother when Harry visited their father at Highgrove House in July.

Harry has publicly said he wants peace. In May 2025, he told the BBC he would "love reconciliation." In an October interview with GQ, he said "the most important thing is to reconcile. That's the key point."

Divided views on who should move first

Commentators disagree on who bears responsibility. Former Buckingham Palace press secretary Dickie Arbiter, author of "On Duty with the Royals," said Harry must take the first step. "He's got to be contrite. He's got to apologize and mean it," Arbiter said.

Arbiter argued that the king has limited his meetings with Harry because details of private conversations have later appeared in American media.

British broadcaster Helena Chard said William reportedly struggles to forgive his brother for leaving him to shoulder the pressures of being future king alone, calling the strain caused to the family "impossible to forgive."

Royal expert Hilary Fordwich said the impasse stems from a lack of trust and the absence of an apology from the Sussexes. "Without a formal mea culpa, there is no starting point," she said.

Others see it differently. Royal commentator Meredith Constant, who rewatched the Oprah interview, said the couple has no reason to apologize. "Harry and Meghan overwhelmingly say positive things about William and Kate," she said, adding that the couple's concerns centered on a lack of institutional support and British press coverage.

Constant argued that as future king, William should take the first step toward reconciliation, and warned that continued reports of William freezing out Harry could eventually look "petty."

Kate's role

Some had hoped the Princess of Wales could act as a peacemaker. Andersen said his sources indicate she does not want to get involved, describing her as "very disappointed" with her brother-in-law.

Background

Harry and Meghan stepped back as senior working royals in 2020, citing intrusive press coverage and a lack of support, and moved to California. Their interviews, Netflix documentary and Harry's 2023 memoir, "Spare," strained relations further.

For now, there is no public sign of a meeting between the brothers. Constant said William's next move could determine whether talks ever begin.