Prince William and Kate Middleton are reportedly taking a wait-and-see approach to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s return to Britain rather than making an immediate public gesture toward reconciliation.
A source close to the Prince and Princess of Wales told PEOPLE that William and Kate are resisting a “knee-jerk reaction” as the Sussex family begins an extended stay in the U.K.
Harry and Meghan arrived August 26 with Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, after more than six years based in California. The children are due to begin school in Britain, while details about the family’s home and their school are being kept private.
No reunion between Harry and William has been announced. PEOPLE’s source said repairing the relationship would be “a slow build” because there remains “a deep sense of betrayal.”
William and Kate Are ‘Watching This Space’ Privately
“They are watching this space,” the source told PEOPLE. “It’s private, they don’t feel the need to say anything or demonstrate anything outwardly.”
The comments are not an official statement from William, Kate or Kensington Palace. PEOPLE attributes them to a source close to the couple.
Harry and Meghan have also remained largely out of public view since their arrival. PEOPLE reported that there had been no public sign of a reunion with the wider royal family by September 2.
Vanity Fair Earlier Said the Sussexes’ Return Had ‘Derailed’ William and Kate
The latest account follows an earlier Vanity Fair report in which a source said Harry and Meghan’s arrival had “derailed” William and Kate.
Vanity Fair’s source claimed the Waleses had been caught off guard by the timing of the return and said William was concerned about how Harry and Meghan’s presence could affect the work of the wider royal family.
The outlet also reported that William and King Charles had discussed the situation privately and agreed that Harry and Meghan would remain private individuals rather than resume royal duties. A representative for the Sussexes told Vanity Fair that the couple had no plans to become working royals again.
The Guardian reported the same basic status after their arrival: Harry and Meghan are living at a non-royal residence and do not plan to return to official royal duties.
Harry Publicly Asked for Reconciliation in 2025
Harry publicly called for reconciliation in May 2025 after losing his appeal over the level of police protection available to him in Britain.
“I would love reconciliation with my family,” he told the BBC. “There’s no point in continuing to fight anymore.” At the time, Harry said Charles was not speaking to him because of the security dispute and said he could not envision bringing Meghan and their children back to Britain under the conditions then in place.
His relationship with Charles has since moved forward. Harry, Meghan, Archie and Lilibet met the King and Queen Camilla at Highgrove House in July, according to The Associated Press.
The private gathering marked Charles’s first meeting with Meghan, Archie and Lilibet in four years. Buckingham Palace confirmed the visit but did not release photographs or details about what the family discussed.
Harry’s Relationship With William Has Remained Further Behind
The Highgrove reunion did not include William. Wealth of Geeks reported in July that sources described the brothers as having no contact even after Harry’s meeting with their father.
PEOPLE’s latest report says that stalemate has continued. One source told the magazine there had been “no movement, especially on William’s side,” while another described the relationship as “so broken.”
The brothers’ last widely documented joint public appearance was in September 2022, when William, Kate, Harry and Meghan viewed tributes to Queen Elizabeth II outside Windsor Castle.
No meeting or direct contact between William and Harry has been publicly announced since the Sussex family returned to Britain on August 26.