Experts say timing of court case was known well in advance
The long-running rift between Prince William and his estranged brother Harry is still very much alive, according to royal experts, as the Duke of Sussex prepares to return to the UK next week.
Harry is expected to be in London for his court case, but the Palace has already confirmed that Prince William and Catherine will be in Scotland at the same time, hundreds of miles away. Royal watchers believe the timing is no coincidence.
One expert suggested the Prince and Princess of Wales are deliberately steering clear of Harry as tensions between the brothers continue.
Speaking to Fox News Digital, royal commentator Ian Pelham Turner said the divide shows no sign of easing.
“Surprise, surprise. In 2026, the rift between the two brothers is still simmering away. A battle royale continues,” he claimed.
Turner also suggested that William, and the wider royal family, likely knew Harry’s trial date months in advance, allowing plans to be made accordingly.
Another royal expert, Richard Fitzwilliams, echoed the view that relations remain strained. He said Harry is still at odds with William and that there is little chance of a meeting while legal matters are ongoing.
“William and Catherine obviously won’t see Harry while he’s involved with a court case,” Fitzwilliams said. He added that William reportedly has not spoken to his brother for some time, especially following Harry’s interviews with the BBC and The Guardian last year. Those appearances, he suggested, further damaged trust within the family.
Fitzwilliams also noted that it will be difficult for the Prince and Princess of Wales to completely avoid media coverage of Harry’s visit, and that this is unlikely to be the last time such situations arise.
On the question of whether Harry might meet King Charles, Turner was slightly more optimistic, though he played down expectations.
“There will be no official meeting between Harry and King Charles,” he said. “However, that doesn’t stop behind-the-scenes, high-level negotiations between Harry and the King’s officials.”
For now, any public reunion appears firmly off the table, with old wounds between the brothers still far from healed.
