Prince Harry's 'olive branch' to Kate and William during his UK visit as he's 'keen to salvage relationship'
The brothers' relationship fell apart when Harry and Meghan departed the monarchy
Prince Harry reportedly made a quiet but deliberate gesture during his recent trip to the UK, with insiders revealing he hoped to extend an “olive branch” to Prince William and Kate Middleton, despite the deep rift that has kept the royal brothers estranged for years.
The Duke of Sussex, 40, stayed at Coworth Park. The five-star hotel in Ascot, Berkshire is just a short drive from Adelaide Cottage, the four-bedroom Windsor residence of the Prince and Princess of Wales.
The choice of location was not incidental, with a source claiming it was seen as a “potential olive branch to make peace after so many years estranged”.
“Harry really is keen to try to salvage some kind of relationship or even reopen dialogue,” the insider told Express. “Some of us saw Harry being so close to his brother as a gesture of saying ‘hey I am here, close by… what about us trying to work things out?'”
What caused the rift between William and Harry?
It’s believed the brothers, once inseparable, began drifting apart following Prince Harry and Meghan’s departure from royal duties in early 2020.
The move was dubbed ‘Megxit’. It came after the couple voiced frustrations over their treatment by both the royal institution and the UK press.
Tensions worsened following a series of explosive interviews. The most notable was their 2021 Oprah Winfrey special, in which Harry accused the royal family of mistreatment.
Harry really is keen to try to salvage some kind of relationship or even reopen dialogue.
Further damage was done when the couple signed reported multi-million dollar deals with Netflix and Spotify. The Netflix documentary series, Harry & Meghan, offered more personal critiques of life within the monarchy, particularly aimed at Harry’s family.
“The problem is that so much has been said by him and his wife on TV – and with Netflix for millions of dollars in profit – which can never be taken back,” the source explained. “While it felt the right thing for Harry to do to cleanse his soul of his darkest feelings on life in the monarchy, his brother and father didn’t share the same outlook. Their view remains that a line, actually several lines, were crossed and there is no way of returning to how things were a decade ago.”
Despite this, Harry is believed to have hoped that proximity could spark reconciliation.
What is Prince Harry’s nickname for Kate Middleton?
Despite the tension between households, Prince Harry has long held a fondness for his sister-in-law.
As reported by OK!, he reportedly used to call Kate “Cath” as a nod to her full name – Catherine.
The two were once close, with Harry describing Kate as “the sister I never had”.
However, their relationship has also seemingly suffered in recent years.
Prince Harry in the UK
Harry was in London last week for a High Court hearing over the Home Secretary’s decision to revoke his police protection.
The duke has launched a legal challenge against the ruling. He argued that his family’s safety is at risk without taxpayer-funded security during UK visits.
While in the country, Harry did not see Prince William, Kate or their children. He did not meet with his father, King Charles, who was preparing for a state visit to Italy.
Royal Insider has contacted reps for Harry for comment.
Read more: Prince Harry savagely told he ‘needs a hair transplant’ after balding photos emerge
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