Hopes of a royal reconciliation have been thrown into doubt after a source close to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reportedly dismissed claims that the couple are preparing to apologise to Prince William and Princess Catherine.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex reportedly won’t be apologising (Image: Jonathan Brady-Pool/Getty Images)
Earlier this week, reports suggested the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were ready to put past disagreements behind them and acknowledge mistakes made during their highly publicised 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey. However, a source close to the couple has now rejected the claims in a blunt, one-word response.
Speaking to People magazine, the source described reports of a planned apology as “nonsense”, casting doubt on speculation that the Sussexes were preparing to make the first move towards repairing their fractured relationship with the Prince and Princess of Wales.
Claims of an apology followed renewed reconciliation rumours
The couples no longer talk (Image: Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
The speculation began after a source told the Daily Express that Harry and Meghan understood they might need to “eat humble pie” if they hoped to rebuild their relationship with William and Catherine.
According to that account, the couple allegedly regretted aspects of their interview with Oprah in 2021, particularly the discussion about comments reportedly made within the Royal Family concerning the skin colour of their unborn son, Prince Archie.
The interview caused a major controversy at the time. William subsequently rejected the suggestion that the Royal Family was racist, telling reporters that the royals were “very much not a racist family”.
The source quoted by the Daily Express claimed Harry and Meghan had come to recognise how damaging the interview had been and wanted to move forward rather than allow the family dispute to continue.
The source also suggested Meghan would be willing to apologise and that the couple hoped to arrange a private meeting where they could address their past remarks.
However, these claims were not confirmed by the Sussexes, and the subsequent denial from a source close to them directly challenged the suggestion that an apology was being planned.
Harry has repeatedly expressed a desire for reconciliation
Despite the latest reports, Harry has spoken publicly about his wish to improve relations with his family.
In an ITV interview released around the publication of his memoir Spare in 2023, the Duke of Sussex said he still loved his father, King Charles, and his brother, Prince William.
“I love my father, I love my brother, I love my family,” Harry said, adding that nothing he had done in his book or otherwise had been intended to cause them harm.
He also indicated that reconciliation would be a positive outcome.
Harry reiterated that position in an interview with the BBC last year, saying he wanted to restore family ties rather than continue the conflict.
“I would love reconciliation with my family. There’s no point continuing to fight any more, life is precious,” he said.
His comments suggested that, despite the deep divisions within the family, he remained open to the possibility of repairing those relationships.
William and Harry’s relationship remains strained
The relationship between the two brothers has been under intense public scrutiny for years, particularly since Harry and Meghan stepped back from their senior royal duties and moved to the United States in 2020.
Their public interviews, Harry’s memoir and the couple’s criticism of aspects of royal life have contributed to a prolonged rift.
William and Catherine have largely refrained from publicly discussing the details of their relationship with the Sussexes. Harry, by contrast, has spoken more openly about the breakdown in family communication and his hopes for a better future.
The brothers are believed not to have spoken for several years, although the precise state of their private relationship has not been publicly established.
Once frequently seen together alongside their wives, the two couples were dubbed the “Fab Four”. Their increasingly separate lives have since become a symbol of the wider divisions within the Royal Family.
No meeting between the brothers is expected soon
Harry last saw King Charles in July, before reports emerged that he was planning to return to live in the UK. Despite that meeting, there has been no confirmed indication that he has reunited with William or Catherine.
The latest denial of an alleged apology therefore offers little evidence that a reconciliation is imminent.
While Harry has repeatedly said he would welcome a fresh start with his family, the claim that he and Meghan were preparing to apologise to William and Catherine remains unsubstantiated.
For now, the prospect of a reunion between the once-close brothers remains uncertain, with no meeting publicly confirmed and no clear indication that the longstanding rift is about to be resolved.