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Prince William and Kate Middleton may have a simple response to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s return. A friend of William and Middleton told Daily Mail diary editor Richard Eden that they would continue to “ignore” the Sussexes. 

This came after Harry and Markle returned to Britain with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet on August 26. The family plans an extended stay. But they haven’t returned as working royals. The couple stepped down as senior working royals in 2020, and later moved to California. Meanwhile, William and Middleton stayed on as working royals. 

Harry and William’s relationship has been strained for years. The Duke first spoke about their distance in the 2019 ITV documentary Harry & Meghan: An African Journey. “We are certainly on different paths at the moment,” Harry said. “I will always be there for him and I know he’ll always be there for me.” 

It became more public in March 2021 when he and Markle sat down with Oprah Winfrey for an interview. Harry again said that he and William were on “different paths.” Markle also spoke about Middleton. She denied reports that she made her “cry” before her wedding. 

Markle had claimed that a member of the royal family had raised concerns about how dark Archie’s skin color might be. However, William denied the claim. Three days later, reporters asked William about the interview and its racism allegations as he left School 21. 

He replied, “We’re very much not a racist family.” He also said he had not yet spoken to Harry but planned to. Then, Harry and Markle released their six-part Harry & Meghan documentary in December 2022. In it, Harry accused the royal household of “leaking” and “planting” stories. His memoir Spare followed in January 2023. 

Harry described a 2019 argument with William at Nottingham Cottage. He claimed William grabbed him by the collar and knocked him to the floor. He also said William called Markle “difficult,” “rude,” and “abrasive.” He revisited disagreements between Middleton and Markle, too. William and Harry once appeared close. 

After their mother, Princess Diana, died in 1997, the brothers later undertook royal duties together. Harry also built a strong public identity through his military career. He spent about 10 years in the British Army and completed two tours in Afghanistan. 

He later founded the Invictus Games for wounded, injured, and sick personnel and veterans. Now, the family divide extends to the next generation. Royal expert Marlene Koenig told the Daily Express that William does not know Archie and Lilibet. 

“It is difficult to know how William would feel about Archie and Lilibet, now in the UK,” Koenig said, adding, “he does not know them.” Meanwhile, William does not appear ready to reconcile with Harry and Markle. 

Recent reports said William and Middleton are taking a cautious approach following the Sussexes’ return. According to People, any reconciliation “will be a slow build,” with a source pointing to a “deep sense of betrayal” within the Waleses’ camp. The couple reportedly has “no immediate plans for reconciliation.” 

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