Prince William Considering Skipping Royal Family Event To Avoid Harry And Meghan As He Refuses To ‘Make Nice’
The Prince of Wales is reportedly considering staying away from his family’s Christmas celebration at Sandringham if Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are invited.
The news comes as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex recently settled back into life in the United Kingdom with their two children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, after spending six years in Montecito, California.
Prince William‘s much closer proximity to his brother seems to do nothing to quell their long-held feud, as the prince would allegedly stay away from the rest of the royal family before he mingles in Harry’s company.
William is still upset with his brother over their estrangement and is reportedly unwilling to put aside their differences simply because his brother has returned home.
According to Closer, a source stated that “William is still very angry.” The source claimed that the Prince of Wales was “completely stunned” by the attention Harry has received since the Sussexes announced their return.
The prince is said to be completely uninterested in feigning good relations with his brother and his wife in public.
“He says he’s tried forcing himself to make nice before, and it was unbearable,” the source said, referencing the “terribly painful” walkabout William and his wife Kate Middleton made with Harry and Meghan following Queen Elizabeth II’s death in 2022.
The prince reportedly believes that he and Harry’s relationship has been strained to the point that a return to normal family relations is highly unlikely.
William’s stance on the matter is now more important than it’s been in a long time, because Harry and Meghan are no longer a continent away.
The Sussexes are much closer to the Waleses, meaning an encounter between the two families is practically inevitable and definitely more difficult to avoid.
The Future King Would Rather Be Alone Than Spend Christmas With His Estranged Brother
5The Closer report suggests that the strain between the brothers is so intense that it could lead to William missing a Christmas gathering at Sandringham.
The royal family traditionally spends Christmas at their Sandringham house, but William would reportedly rather spend the holiday alone and away from the royal family than attend the event because of the ongoing feud with his brother.
The source said, “He’d rather spend Christmas alone than face those two across the table.”
Rather than put on an act, the Prince of Wales would rather not attend any event Harry and Meghan are invited to. According to the outlet, William believes, “it’s me or Harry.”
Prince William Wants To Spare Everyone An ‘Incredibly Uncomfortable Family Gathering’
5The alleged ultimatum puts King Charles between a rock and a hard place, as the monarch reportedly wants Harry, Meghan, and his grandchildren to remain part of the family as well as family celebrations despite their status as non-working royals.
While deliberately skipping the tradition is “unprecedented”, it would not be the first time that the Waleses have spent the holidays away from the rest of the royal family.
However, the source claims that William would not like to abandon Christmas with his ailing father and that his decision is less of an ultimatum and really more the prince trying to spare everyone an “incredibly uncomfortable family gathering.”
King Charles Wants His First Son Back As Prince Harry’s Return Causes Serious Divide In The Royal Family
5While William is reportedly maintaining the rift that has opened between him and his brother, Charles, on the other hand, is interested in reconciliation and mending fences.
In July, the king reunited with Harry and Meghan, as well as Archie and Lilibet, whom he met for the first time in four years at Highgrove House.
The meeting was significant because it was a sign of significant progress in repairing the relationship between father and son, which the two of them evidently desire, especially given the king’s cancer diagnosis.
The reunion is also stated to have put a “real spring in his step,” according to a report by Mandatory citing a source that also stated it “means the world” for the king to spend time with Archie and Lilibet.
The Return Of The ‘Prodigal Son’ Harry Puts Pressure On Prince William
5Harry and Meghan’s return to the royal family’s homeland inevitably brought the brothers’ estrangement back under public scrutiny.
The relocation puts a lot of attention on the tense relationship between the Sussexes and the rest of Britain’s royal family, especially William and Kate.
People Magazine previously reported that the Prince and Princess of Wales are taking a cautious approach to the Sussexes’ arrival in Britain and that reconciliation would be unlikely to happen anytime soon as there’s a “deep sense of betrayal.”
According to Hello! Magazine, author Robert Jobson previously said, “The prodigal son coming back will be difficult for him. Harry’s move puts pressure on him to act in a more pragmatic way.”
Harry and Meghan’s presence in the Kingdom puts pressure on the relationship, which could lead to a complete and total breakdown if it hasn’t reached that point yet.
As the earlier source noted, “there’s far more bad blood now, not less.”
