Prince Harry and Kate Middleton were once very close, with Harry affectionately referring to Kate as the sister he never had. The two got along well in the early days of Kate’s relationship with Prince William while they were all students at the University of St Andrews.
Harry appreciated Kate’s warm, inclusive family and was delighted when William proposed to her in 2010 as recently reported by MIRROR.
However, tensions arose after Harry became engaged to Meghan Markle in 2017. There was reportedly conflict between Kate and Meghan over bridesmaid dresses ahead of Harry and Meghan’s 2018 wedding. While the two duchesses put on a united front in public, behind the scenes their relationship was strained.
Things only got worse after Harry and Meghan’s explosive Oprah interview in 2021, where Meghan spoke about her difficult experience joining the royal family. The interview drove an even bigger wedge between the two couples.
According to royal expert Kinsey Schofield, the relationship between Kate and Meghan is now so fractured that Harry has to ask Meghan’s permission before speaking to Kate. Schofield believes Harry would not speak to Kate privately without Meghan’s blessing.
Meanwhile, William and Kate have distanced themselves from Harry and Meghan’s drama. A friend of Kate’s told reporters that Kate has “moved on” and is focused on her royal duties rather than looking back at the tensions with Harry and Meghan.
Royal journalist Omid Scobie echoed this in his recent book, writing that there is “no going back” for the two couples and their relationship cannot be repaired.
The falling out between Harry and William has been incredibly painful given how close they once were. Sources say William feels betrayed by Harry’s behavior and cannot forgive him for the way he left royal life.
The tension between the brothers has also impacted Kate and William’s parenting. Hoping to avoid future family rifts, they are determined to break the “heir and spare” tradition and treat all their children – George, Charlotte and Louis – equally, despite George’s place as second-in-line to the throne.
Before leaving royal duties, Harry was very involved in official events alongside William. But since the Sussexes moved to the U.S., Harry’s only interactions with his brother’s family have been awkward moments captured at public events like Prince Philip’s 2021 funeral.
While Charles still hopes his sons can repair their relationship, William remains unwilling to forgive Harry. The damage from bombshells like Harry’s memoir Spare seems irreparable. With no trust left, there is little chance of reconciliation between the brothers in the foreseeable future.
As for Kate and Meghan, they have had no direct contact since the Oprah interview aired. Kate has no plans to communicate with Harry or Meghan as she continues focusing on her royal work in the U.K.
So while Harry and Kate once shared an incredibly close bond, his relationship with his sister-in-law now appears severed. With tensions still running high on both sides, the fallout from Harry and Meghan’s royal exit continues to profoundly impact the family dynamic
