Prince William should wait for Prince Harry to make the first move in rebuilding their relationship, according to a poll for The Mail on Sunday.
Just four per cent of Britons believe the Prince of Wales should initiate a peace deal when the Duke and Duchess of Sussex return to the UK in the coming days, according to the survey of 2,000 people conducted by Find Out Now. The poll revealed that 31 per cent of respondents believe Prince Harry should make the first move, while 27 per cent said both brothers should make amends equally together. A total of 11 per cent said neither should make the first move, and 28 per cent said they do not know.
The Prince of Wales, who is heir to the British throne, and the Duke of Sussex have experienced a public estrangement since Harry and his wife Meghan stepped down from working royal roles in 2020. The Royal Family is currently gathered at Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire for their traditional summer holiday, where senior courtiers are responding to news that the Sussexes are on the verge of moving back to Britain after six years residing in the United States. King Charles III was informed of the decision only last Sunday.
The couple's impending return has focused attention on the long-standing rift between William, 44, and Harry, 41. The brothers have not spoken to each other since the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022, and it is believed there has been no contact between them for more than two and a half years.
Friends of the Prince and Princess of Wales claimed the couple are unable to forgive a series of damaging broadsides from the Sussexes following their departure. In his memoir Spare, Harry claimed William left him with visible "scrapes and bruises" after an alleged physical confrontation. During an interview in 2021 with Oprah Winfrey, the Sussexes claimed an unnamed royal raised "concerns and conversations" regarding how dark their then-unborn son Archie's skin tone might be. William later publicly stated that the Royal Family is "very much not a racist family."
The Find Out Now survey found that 43 per cent of participants believe the Sussexes should apologise for their past comments. Just over a quarter said they should not apologise, and 31 per cent responded that they do not know. Public sentiment regarding the couple's return to the UK remains divided, with 27 per cent agreeing with the decision, 34 per cent disagreeing, and 39 per cent unsure.
Palace effort to repair royal rift
The survey results come as royal insiders claim a trusted aide to King Charles has made resolving the rift between William and Harry his "number one task." Theo Rycroft, a former diplomat who became deputy private secretary to the King in February, is said to hope that William could publicly acknowledge his brother through a joint appearance or shared photograph.
"A rapprochement between William and Harry remains a work in progress, and Theo is taking the lead," one source told The Mail on Sunday. Another source added: "Under Theo's watch William could publicly acknowledge his brother somehow. No one is expecting them to be friends but the drama has to end, for William's sake as much as anyone's."
However, a source close to the King denied the claims, describing them as "baseless" and "without foundation." A source close to Prince William also disputed the accuracy of the report.
Those hoping for reconciliation point to a major black-tie event scheduled for September 18 at the OWO Hotel in central London. The event is hosted by The Diana Award, a charity established to honor the memory of the late Princess of Wales by recognizing young people who make positive contributions to society. Both William and Harry serve as patrons of the organization.
Upcoming event and royal limits
Next month's ceremony will mark the start of the build-up to the 30th anniversary of Princess Diana's death next summer. While the brothers have taken turns participating in the charity's events in recent years, William is not currently scheduled to attend the September event, and it is unknown whether the Sussexes will attend.
A senior royal observer cautioned that advisers have strictly limited influence over potential reconciliation between the princes. "It is not a matter for the advisers or the royal household. This is family and they'll try to sort it out themselves, in private," the observer said. "Of course, the royal household would like a smooth path, reconciliation would make that smoother. It would make their lives much easier. But they have no serious influence to make it happen. It would be seen as overreaching."
The observer added that King Charles would like his family united while undergoing treatment for cancer: "The King would like his sons to be on good terms. He's living with cancer and doesn't want his family divided. And, yes, he is talking to William about it in private. But no one will be pressuring William, let alone telling him what to do. William is no fool, but he can be volatile and no one wants confrontation. Meanwhile, there is a general feeling of mistrust around Harry."
Security costs and taxpayer funding
Meanwhile, security officials are reportedly planning to restart their review of Harry's request for taxpayer-funded protection in the UK. The Royal and VIP Executive Committee had previously examined whether the Sussexes should automatically receive armed protection during visits to Britain. Their decision to live at an undisclosed non-royal residence outside London may alter the committee's considerations.
Security experts told the Daily Mail last week that round-the-clock protection for Harry, Meghan, and their children Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five, could cost between £3 million and £5 million per year. The Mail on Sunday poll revealed that 68 per cent of respondents believe Harry and Meghan should pay solely for their security. Only two per cent said taxpayers should pay, 12 per cent believed both the public and the couple should contribute, and 17 per cent did not know.
Additional reporting for the survey was provided by Nicholas Pyke.
