But sources close to Prince William say he is concerned that Prince Harry and Meghan may try to convince King Charles that they can carry out occasional royal duties while remaining financially independent—something William, sources say, fears could undermine the reputation of the monarchy.
Prince William, who is not speaking to his brother following Harry’s bombshell 2023 memoir, Spare, has told sources close to him that trust remains a fundamental issue.
“William is very concerned that Harry and Meghan will want to try and implement the ‘half in, half out’ model Queen Elizabeth vetoed at the Sandringham Summit. They are wary about the whole move back to Britain,” a source says. “Charles is happy to see Harry come home, but for William, the breakdown of trust is a key issue.”
The news of the move comes just over a month after King Charles and Queen Camilla reunited with Prince Harry, Meghan, Archie, and Lilibet at Highgrove House. As a source close to the monarch told VF at the time, the hour-long meeting was “completely cloak-and-dagger, orchestrated by the king.” “The king wanted to see Harry and the children,” the source added.
A royal insider maintains that King Charles was first made aware of Harry and Meghan’s plans to relocate on Sunday, and that they were not raised or discussed when the family was visiting the UK earlier this summer.
A representative for Prince Harry and Meghan did not comment.
