Royal watchers believe there is zero chance the battling brothers will mend things before their father’s coronation — and Kate Middleton couldn’t be more disappointed.
A source recently told People magazine in this week’s issue that it was the Princess of Wales who came up with the idea to step out with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex following Queen Elizabeth II’s death in September. The insider alleged it was meant to be a first step in reconciliation between the brothers and their wives, one that proved to be difficult for everyone involved.
“Kate certainly had to have talked Prince William into making that appearance with his brother outside Kensington Palace,” Christopher Andersen, author of “The King,” told Fox News Digital. “William certainly was in no mood to make nice with Prince Harry, and by all accounts still isn’t. Whenever these four are together, I don’t think we have seen anything but forced smiles on all their faces.”
From left: Catherine, Princess of Wales; Prince William, Prince of Wales; Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex; and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex arrive to view flowers and tributes to HM Queen Elizabeth in Windsor, England, on Sept. 10, 2022. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
“Actually, when it comes to acting the part of someone who seems totally unfazed by all the drama swirling around her, Kate really delivers the most convincing performance,” he shared. “She never lets her guard down the way the other three do. But you know, Kate and Harry always had a special bond, and I believe the rift between the brothers weighs on her more heavily than people realize.”
In September, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were in Europe for a series of charity appearances. Their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, remained in California where they reside. It was around this time that the queen passed away at Scotland’s Balmoral Castle at the age of 96. The couple extended their trip to attend the funeral.
According to the outlet, William invited his brother and sister-in-law to join him and his wife to greet mourners gathered outside Windsor Castle. The outing, one source alleged, was Middleton’s idea.
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Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on Sept. 8, 2022. (Kirsty OConnor – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
“She didn’t want her or William to have any regrets,” a friend of the Princess of Wales told the outlet.
British royals expert Shannon Felton Spence believed the insider.
“Kate, William and Harry were very close,” she pointed out. “Catherine wants to mend the relationship between brothers. Her own family is very close and has a tight-knit unit that includes the spouses and children of each of the Middleton siblings. No one enjoys being estranged from people who they care for.”
Kate Middleton once had a close bond with her brother-in-law, Prince Harry (right). (Jeff Spicer/Getty Images)
The outlet alleged that it was an uneasy time for Markle.
“That’s the longest they had ever been away from the kids, and then on top of it, knowing what’s being said out there — it was very difficult,” a source alleged.
Felton Spence also believed this claim.
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From left, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex; Camilla, Queen Consort; Prince George of Wales; Catherine, Princess of Wales; and Princess Charlotte of Wales appear during the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey in London on Sept. 19, 2022. (Samir Hussein/WireImage)
“If you remember, I was hearing that Meghan may not attend the funeral based simply on the fact that they intended to leave Archie and Lili for a few days, and with the queen’s death it turned into a few weeks,” she explained. “As a working mother myself, I know how difficult those trips away are, and I imagine it was incredibly difficult for Meghan.”
“Catherine is not on a group chat encouraging everyone to work it out,” Felton Spence shared. “But in her own way, within her own home and family, she does speak with William and to their staff about a way out of this estrangement.”
“Everyone is hurt — all around,” she noted. “But they all know that long-term, this estrangement is not good for anyone.”
The Duchess and Duke of Sussex stepped back as senior members of the British royal family in 2020. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
Relations between the brothers have been said to be strained for years, with things allegedly escalating when the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced they were stepping back as senior royals in 2020.
“Since Kate has inimitable good sense, it indeed is highly likely she was behind the joint walkabout,” British royals expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital. “It had been reported at the time that the joint Fab Four walkabout was orchestrated as a last-minute maneuver to head off the rogue walkabout, breaking protocol, that Meghan and Harry were about to undertake. There were some brief texts between Prince William and Harry, then we all saw them together.”
Fordwich claimed this isn’t the first time that Middleton, 41, attempted to play peacemaker.
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Prince William and Catherine, the Prince and Princess of Wales, accompanied by Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, greet well-wishers outside Windsor Castle. (Mark Kerrison/In Pictures via Getty Images)
“We know for certain that Kate initiated the conversation between the brothers when we saw them after the funeral for Prince Philip when she brokered, in front of the world, the brief conversation between brothers as they walked in Windsor,” she said.
Buckingham Palace announced last week that Harry will attend his father’s coronation on May 6. However, it is believed that Harry and William have kept their distance.
“Things are strained,” a palace insider alleged to the outlet.
Prince Harry alleged in his book “Spare” that his older brother attacked him. (Aaron Chown)
Harry, 38, will be flying solo. The ceremony falls on Archie’s fourth birthday. The outlet reported that Markle will spend the weekend celebrating with her children in California.
“Meghan wants to be there to support her father-in-law, but at the same time, the scrutiny she receives outweighs the support,” a close friend alleged to the outlet. “There’s always going to be that other side challenging their reasoning, and who wants to put themselves in that position?”
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have faced backlash following their tell-alls. In December, they released a six-part Netflix docuseries that detailed their struggles with royal life. Then in January, Harry’s explosive memoir “Spare” was published.
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Meghan Markle won’t be attending King Charles’ coronation, but will instead stay behind in California with her son Prince Archie and daughter Princess Lilibet. (Samir Hussein)
The couple alleged Markle faced racist attitudes from both the palace and the U.K. press. The treatment contributed to their decision to leave the country. The revelations in “Spare,″ including details of private conversations involving Harry’s father and older brother, fanned tensions between the prince and his family that became public when he and his wife moved to North America.
The bestselling book also included allegations that members of the royal family regularly feed the press unflattering information about other members of the House of Windsor in exchange for positive coverage of themselves.
The acrimony between Harry and his family once again spilled into public view last month when the Sussexes confirmed that they had been asked to vacate their home in Britain.
King Charles and his wife will be crowned on May 6 at London’s Westminster Abbey. (Jens Buettner/AP)
Frogmore Cottage, a royal residence on the grounds of Windsor Castle, was the couple’s main residence before they gave up royal duties and moved to Montecito, a wealthy enclave in Southern California.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.