Prince William appears to have adjusted to life without his brother, Prince Harry, as their long-running feud leaves little sign of an imminent reconciliation.
Biographer Christopher Andersen said Harry has never felt he had anything to apologize for, while William, in his view, believes the same about himself. Andersen said William sees Harry’s actions as a betrayal of both the royal family and the monarchy. Harry’s return to the U.K., he added, may have reopened old wounds rather than eased them.
“They are both strong-willed men,” Andersen said, and over the past several years, he believes, they have learned they can live apart. If major family events—including Queen Elizabeth II’s death, King Charles’ coronation and the cancer diagnoses affecting the king and Catherine, Princess of Wales—didn’t bring them closer, Andersen said, it is difficult to see what might.
Recent reports have offered conflicting accounts of whether Harry and Meghan intend to apologize to William and Catherine. One report suggested the couple hoped to address remarks from their 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey as part of a reconciliation effort. A source close to them dismissed that account as untrue.
The reported apology was said to relate in particular to Meghan’s comments in the interview about conversations within the royal family concerning the possible skin tone of their son, Archie, before his birth.
Harry has made some progress in repairing his relationship with his father, King Charles, according to one source. But that source said there had been no comparable movement with William.
British broadcaster Helena Chard said William may find it difficult to forgive Harry. She said William once viewed his brother as a supportive presence while he prepared for the pressures of becoming king. In Chard’s account, Harry’s departure left William to face those demands alone, while the strain on the family has added to the hurt.
Harry has said publicly that he wants to make peace with his family. He told the BBC in May 2025 that he would welcome reconciliation, and in a 2026 interview with GQ he described it as the most important goal.
Royal commentator Meredith Constant, reflecting on the Sussexes’ interview with Winfrey, said she did not think Harry and Meghan had reason to apologize. She noted that they spoke positively about William and Catherine, and recalled that Meghan described Catherine as a good person. Constant said the couple’s grievances centered on what they saw as a lack of support from the monarchy and damaging coverage in the British press, which Meghan said had contributed to concerns about her safety.
Constant added that she doubted Harry and Meghan would choose to repeat the lengthy televised interview. She also argued that William, as the future king, could take the first step toward reconciliation. But, she said, Harry has maintained that reconciliation requires accountability, and she questioned how William and Catherine could accept responsibility for issues they did not acknowledge.
Harry and Meghan stepped away from their roles as senior working royals in 2020, citing press intrusion and insufficient support from the palace. They moved to California and later discussed their experiences in interviews and documentaries. Harry’s memoir, “Spare,” published in 2023, further strained relations with his family. The couple returned to the U.K. with their children for an extended visit in August 2026.
Dick Arbiter, a former press secretary to the queen, argued that Harry should be the one to seek forgiveness. He said Queen Elizabeth was disappointed when Harry and Meghan left their royal duties, while King Charles’ constitutional responsibilities and the future of the monarchy remain his priority.
Arbiter said the king is unlikely to reconcile with Harry while Harry continues to criticize the family publicly and discuss private meetings. He added that Harry would need to offer a sincere apology, and questioned what, in his view, Harry expected the family to apologize for.
Andersen said Catherine, who was once close to Harry, does not appear eager to step into the dispute. He suggested that Harry’s criticism of William and other relatives had made it difficult for her to bring the brothers together, and that neither side seemed willing to revisit past remarks.
Royal expert Hilary Fordwich said Harry, rather than William, appears to be seeking reconciliation. She said the senior royals’ lack of trust in the Sussexes, alongside the absence of an apology, has kept the family at an impasse.
Constant said William’s response could shape whether the brothers begin talks. She questioned the wisdom of publicly emphasizing that he will not change course, saying that stance could eventually look petty. At the same time, she noted that a gesture of goodwill might complicate the story of the brothers as opponents that has taken shape over the past several years.
