It is thought that William was incensed about Harry’s comments to the BBC, in which he said he did not know how long his father had left to live after being diagnosed with cancer. William was said to find the comments deeply offensive and insensitive.
The brothers have barely spoken in the past two years following the publication of Harry’s bombshell memoir, Spare, in which he revealed how he and William had come to physical blows and had been sibling rivals for decades. William was also deeply upset when Harry alleged that Kate had not been welcoming to Meghan and that there had been an issue when Meghan had asked to borrow Kate’s lip gloss.
Catherine, Princess of Wales, Prince William, Prince of Wales, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex at Windsor Castle on September 10, 2022.
KIRSTY O’CONNOR/Getty Images
William is understood to have been against his father’s meeting with Harry this week, because he is fearful that private family conversations will not remain confidential. Though Harry revealed intimate details of family conversations in Spare, King Charles believes it is time to move on and wants to bring Harry in from the cold.
As Vanity Fair reported this week, while Charles is open to a truce, the ball is in Harry’s court: He must prove to his father that he can be trusted.
Meanwhile, Harry hopes that this latest visit to the UK will lead to him being able to return more often if the issue over his security can be resolved. After losing a High Court case and appeal for government-funded police protection, Harry, no longer a working royal, has to fund his own protection. However, this week’s visit showed he can work and travel safely in the country.
While in the UK, Prince Harry traveled to Windsor and Nottingham as well as around the capital, carrying out official engagements with a number of his charities, including WellChild and the Diana Award. On Friday, Harry made a surprise visit to Ukraine on his way home in a show of solidarity to the country. Accompanied by a team from the Invictus Games Foundation, Harry visited Kyiv and met with veterans to outline how the charity plans to help wounded soldiers.
It marks his second visit to the country this year.
A meeting between King Charles and his younger son, Prince Harry, has happened. That much we know for sure, as both parties confirmed the meeting. After over a year of the two not speaking, it’s a very good sign for future reconciliation. But whether Prince William knew or not, and what his opinions are, has been a source of many rumors and allegations over the last few days. First, there were reports that he knew and didn’t agree, but wouldn’t interfere. Now, however, an insider is suggesting something different.
Rob Shuter’s #ShuterScoop reported from a source close to William that the prince only found out the meeting was taking place just before the king headed to Clarence House. According to the insider, William thought “his father was back in London” for different reasons.
“He had no idea Harry was on the schedule — and certainly wasn’t asked for input,” the source added. That was reportedly planned. “If William had been consulted, he would have tried to block it,” the source added. “That’s why Charles went ahead quietly.”
The insider also said that Queen Camilla was supportive of the decision, as she “knows how deep the wounds run.”
All of this comes amid a week of conflicting reports about the brothers. The meeting between King Charles and Prince Harry was something most people agreed was happening, but reports on Prince William have gone from he’s trying to stop it, to he will accept it, to he didn’t know. One thing everyone seems to agree with, though, is that the brothers are not any closer to reconciling, with The Mirror even recently reporting, “As for Harry and William, though, any chance of reconciliation between them has been rejected out of hand.”
Shuter had even reported a few days ago on ShuterScoop that Prince Harry thought his brother had set up his schedule to make sure no one attended Harry’s events. “Harry’s convinced William stacked his own schedule with rival charity events to pull focus,” a palace insider told the journalist. “He feels undercut at every step.”
People had been hoping for a reconciliation ever since Prince Harry said in a BBC interview earlier this year, “I would love reconciliation with my family,” adding that, “There’s no point continuing to fight anymore. Life is precious.” But he didn’t give any specifics. And they got one, or at least the beginning of one. But Prince William doesn’t seem to be budging.
However, according to Parade, there’s something that could change that: concern for King Charles’ health. “King Charles really isn’t doing well,” the outlet reported. He’s said to be “deteriorating more,” which is why there’s speculation that he was so eager to try to patch things up with his son. And though William isn’t there yet, concern over his father might win out in the end.
“It wouldn’t be surprising if William and Harry reconnected a bit more over this,” the source added. “This could be the thing that pushes it to happen.”
Clearly, that’s what Prince Harry wants, so hopefully the family can find a way forward that allows them some level of peace.
Prince William and Kate Middleton are set to play a major role in the impending US state visit to Britain, which will see Donald Trump and Melania stay at Windsor Castle from September 17 to 18—and include a joint engagement for the first lady and the Princess of Wales with the Scouts at Frogmore Gardens.
The Trumps are slated to arrive at Windsor Castle on the morning of the 17th, where they will be officially greeted by the Prince and Princess of Wales. The quartet will then meet King Charles and Queen Camilla, who will receive the Trumps for a Royal Salute, fired from the East Lawn of Windsor Castle at the same time as a salute from the Tower of London. Their Majesties, the Prince and Princess of Wales, and the President and First Lady will then make a carriage procession through the Windsor estate towards the Castle, which was also the site for French president Emmanuel Macron’s state visit to Britain this summer.
Both nations’ anthems will play as the Procession moves off. In a historical move, a Guard of Honour will be presented at the Quadrangle of Windsor Castle, featuring the State Colours of the Grenadier Guards, the Coldstream Guards, and the Scots Guards. This will mark the first time that such an occasion will feature three State Colours—typically, just one would be showcased at the parade. The President and the King will then inspect the Guard of Honour, followed by a Rank and March past The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery, the Household Cavalry and the Foot Guards.
The Trumps joined King Charles and Queen Camilla, then the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, for a dinner at Winfield House, the residence of the US Ambassador, where US President Trump stayed on his 2019 state visit
CHRIS JACKSON/Getty Images
Then, lunch will commence in the State Dining Room, with various members of the Royal family. The party will attend a special display of America-related items from the Royal Collection in the Green Drawing Room. In a solemn moment, later that afternoon Trump is set to privately pay homage to the late Queen Elizabeth—whom he has previously described as a “grand and beautiful lady”—by laying a wreath on her tomb at St George’s Chapel.
King Charles, Queen Camilla and the Trumps will then be joined by Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Lady Starmer for a Beating Retreat ceremony on Windsor’s East Lawn, featuring a flypast by UK and US F-35 military jets and the Red Arrows. The visit will culminate in a state banquet at the Castle—and if the French state visit was anything to go by, it will be a dazzling display of tiaras and royal jewels for Middleton and Queen Camilla. Both the King and President Trump will deliver speeches at the beginning of the dinner.
Prince Harry and King Charles just met in person for the first time in over a year, an important first step towards reconciliation for the estranged father and son. But despite that positive first step, there was no meeting between Prince Harry and his older brother, Prince William, signaling that things in the royal family are still far from perfect. But that’s not all.
According to gossip journalist Rob Shuter, Prince Harry was pretty disappointed by the small crowd at his events back in the UK. “He looked gutted,” one witness tellsShuterScoop. “You could see it in his face when he realized how small the crowd was.”
Not just that, the journalist claims Prince Harry feels his brother is responsible. “Harry’s convinced William stacked his own schedule with rival charity events to pull focus,” a palace insider told Shuter. “He feels undercut at every step.”
Despite the small crowd, Harry interacted with the people who were there easily and didn’t seem too upset. However, according to reports, “He wants to believe he still connects with the public, but this shook him,” with another source adding, “He thinks William made sure of that.”
There have been rumors about the relationship between the brothers for a while. The only fact we know for sure is that the two reportedly did not meet when King Charles and Prince Harry did. The rest is all speculation. Prince Harry did say in a BBC interview earlier this year, “I would love reconciliation with my family,” adding that, “There’s no point continuing to fight anymore. Life is precious.” But he didn’t give any specifics.
Since then, there have been so many conflicting reports it’s hard to know who to believe. There was Prince Harry joking about having siblings and how sometimes they can make you mad during the reception for the WellChild Awards, a pretty innocuous joke that feels like something you’d say if you were in good terms with your brother. But then there were reports Prince William was not convinced the Prince Harry reconciliation was a good idea.
The Mirror even reported, “As for Harry and William, though, any chance of reconciliation between them has been rejected out of hand.”
Speaking about the two brothers, King Charles’ former personal butler, Grant Harrold, told The Post, “William is worried that with the stuff Harry has said, he could use it to his advantage again … like he’s already done. I think, sadly, they don’t trust him. It’s a shame, because Harry wants them to.”
But Parade also recently reported that concern for King Charles’ health could bring the two together. “King Charles really isn’t doing well.” In fact, he’s reportedly “deteriorating more,” which might have precipitated his decision to meet with his son and could end up affecting William and Harry’s future relationship.
It wouldn’t be surprising if William and Harry reconnected a bit more over this,” the source added. “This could be the thing that pushes it to happen.”
For now, the King Charles and Prince Harry meeting was a step forward. Maybe the brothers can take the next.
King Charles III’s monarchy is in its deepest popularity slump ever recorded by a major research charity in 42 years of polling—eclipsing the downturn of the Princess Diana era.
In 1983, 86 percent of U.K. adults thought the royal family were important compared to 51 percent in 2024, according to the British Social Attitudes survey released by the National Centre for Social Research on Thursday.
At the same time, support for abolishing the Monarchy has risen from 3 percent to 15 percent during that time. Those who felt it was unimportant but who stopped short of backing abolition rose from 10 percent in 1983 to 31 percent in 2024.
Newsweek has contacted Buckingham Palace. The royals never comment on polling as a matter of policy.
King Charles III attends the Braemar Royal Highland Gathering at The Princess Royal and Duke of Fife Memorial Park, in Scotland, on September 6, 2025. King Charles III attends the Braemar Royal Highland Gathering at The Princess Royal and Duke of Fife Memorial Park, in Scotland, on September 6, 2025. Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images
Alex Scholes, research director at the National Centre for Social Research, said in a statement: “British Social Attitudes has been tracking views on the monarchy for over 40 years, and the latest data show just how much opinion has shifted.
“Support for the monarchy is now at its lowest level since our records began, with more people than ever questioning its future.”
There is stark data showing a collapse among diehard monarchists, with 64.6 percent saying it was “very important” to continue having a monarchy in 1983 compared to 24.1 percent in 2024, another record low. The previous low, of 27.1 percent, was recorded in 2006—the year the Operation Paget report, a criminal investigation on conspiracy theories surrounding Princess Diana’s death, was released.
A further 26.7 percent felt it was “quite important” while 20 percent said “not very important” and 11.2 percent went for “not important at all.” An additional 15 percent wanted to to scrap it altogether.
“When asked to choose directly, a majority of the public still prefer to keep the monarchy over moving to an elected head of state,” Scholes added.
“This tension, between declining importance and continued preference, will be crucial in shaping debates about the monarchy’s role in the years ahead.”
Interestingly, when the pollsters gave respondents fewer options, support for abolishing the monarchy more than doubled.
Asked simply “do you think the U.K. should continue to have a monarchy, or should it have an elected head of state instead?” 58 percent said they wanted to keep the royals but 38 percent wanted to elect a head of state.
Among 16-24-year-olds, republicans (67 percent) outnumbered royalists (30 percent) by more than double when the question was phrased that way.
There have been other dips for the monarchy over the years, including during the era Princess Diana’s messy divorce from Charles and after her death in a 1997 Paris car crash.
However, even during the 1990s the percentage who felt it was important to continue to have a monarchy did not drop below 60 percent.
That figure dropped to 59 percent in 2003 but otherwise 2021 and 2023 are the only other years below 60 percent.
Graham Smith, chief executive of anti-monarchy campaign group Republic, told Newsweek: “The monarchy is in very serious trouble and in my view it’s a matter of when not if it’s abolished.
“The support has been sustained by elements of nostalgia, conservatism and the Queen [Elizabeth II]. In this age of tumultuous politics, and getting further and further away from the days of deference, and the queen no longer being there, people are rapidly losing interest.
“At the same time, it’s been rocked by multiple scandals that put it on the wrong side of most people’s values.”
Do you have a question about King Charles III and Queen Camilla, Prince William and Princess Kate, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We’d love to hear from you.
The prince was due to attend a reception for the Invictus Games later in the evening, which means his meeting with Charles lasted less than an hour.
“The meeting was brief because of the king’s busy diary and Harry having an Invictus engagement in his diary, but it’s very significant that it has happened,” says Charlotte Griffiths, editor at large at The Mail on Sunday. She also revealed that a meeting between Harry and his father was in the cards after their respective communication aides were photographed meeting in London this summer.
“Harry had a meeting in London this morning and then made sure he kept his schedule completely clear so that he could see his father at a moment’s notice,” Griffiths says. “It was a last-minute diary plan—it wasn’t in Harry’s diary—but perhaps that’s because he was nervous about leaks. He was prepared to drop everything to see his father and he let that be known to the palace.”
Before their meeting, Harry had spent the afternoon in White City touring Imperial College London’s Centre for Blast Injury Studies. While there he stopped to pose for selfies with a small group of fans who had gathered outside wanting to meet him.
The duke told them, “I have to go…I’m so late,” when he rushed off at 3 p.m.
King Charles III is seen arriving at Clarence House on September 10, 2025 in London, England.
Belinda Jiao/Getty Images
Meanwhile, King Charles was seen arriving at Clarence House at around 4 p.m., having arrived at RAF Northolt an hour earlier from Balmoral.
Sources close to King Charles say he is keen for a reconciliation with Harry, and that while he agreed to see his son, any long-term reconciliation is up to the duke.
“The king has always left the door open for Harry to come back to Britain. Charles genuinely misses him and it pains him that there is a rift, but the ball is in Harry’s court,” says a source who knows the king. “If details of their meeting are leaked, then it will be a short-lived reconciliation. The issue of trust is very important to the king, and has been breached in the past.”
“Harry has to prove he can keep the conversations between them private if he wants to really have a relationship with his father,” the source adds.
While Harry will be in London briefly tomorrow before returning home to California, King Charles will return to Balmoral on Wednesday night.
It is understood that Harry has had no contact with his brother, Prince William, who was appearing at engagements in Cardiff on Wednesday.
The Duke of Sussex, who landed in London for a four-day visit on Monday, headed straight to Windsor to lay a wreath at St George’s Chapel – where his grandmother is buried. Queen Elizabeth, the longest-reigning monarch in British history, died at age 96 on September 8, 2022.
Harry is said to have wanted to pay his respects to his grandmother privately. He was taken to the chapel where he married Meghan Markle, by his security team shortly after touching down in the UK Monday morning.
Despite being close in proximity to the Wales family, the prince did not visit his brother, Prince William and sister-in-law, Kate Middleton, who were in Berkshire visiting the Women’s Institute to honor the late Queen, who was president of the institution.
Prince Harry is in London for Monday’s WellChild Awards. He has supported the charity for sick children for 17 years and will present a prize. However, unlike last year when Harry was in and out of the UK for a fleeting visit, he will be in England for four days.
In addition to visiting Nottingham for a charity engagement, Harry is hoping to visit his father King Charles, whom he has not seen since last February.
Sources close to the Duke of Sussex say he has been in touch with his father’s staff in the hope of finding a time in their diaries for a face-to-face meeting. Buckingham Palace has declined to comment on the possibility of a meeting.
It’s been over 28 years since Princess Diana’s death, and it still has a profound effect on her sons. Prince William and Prince Harry have talked about how they found out about their mother’s untimely death.
The brothers were with their father in Balmoral Castle in Scotland when they found out about Diana’s car crash. “I remember waiting patiently for Pa to confirm that, indeed, Mummy was all right,” Harry wrote in his memoir Spare. “And I remember him not doing that.”
The brothers were told that their mother “didn’t make it”: “These phrases remain in my mind like darts in a board,” Harry added. “He did say it that way, I know that much for sure. She didn’t make it. And then everything seemed to come to a stop.”
Their father, King Charles, tried to support his sons amid all the chaos, with Harry recalling in the documentary, Diana, he “was there for us—he was the one out of two left, and he tried to do his best and to make sure that we were protected and looked after. But he was going through the same grieving process, as well.”
“There was no sudden outpour of grief,” he continued. “I don’t think anybody in that position at that age would be able to understand the concept of what that actually means going forward.”
When revisiting the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 2022, William recalled the moments shortly after their father told them, “I was in Balmoral when I was told that my mother had died. Still in shock, I found sanctuary in the service at Crathie Kirk that very morning. And in the dark days of grief that followed, I found comfort and solace in the Scottish outdoors. As a result, the connection I feel to Scotland will forever run deep.”
“You feel very, very confused,” William said about his feelings of grief. “And you keep asking yourself, ‘Why me?’ All the time. ‘Why? What have I done? Why? Why has this happened to us?’”
William appreciated that his grandmother Queen Elizabeth to let them stay in Scotland as it allowed them to grieve away from distractions.“At the time, my grandmother wanted to protect her two grandsons and my father, as well,” William said in the same documentary. “Our grandmother deliberately removed the newspapers and things like that so there was nothing in the house to read.”
“We didn’t know what was going on,” he continued. “Back then there were no smartphones and things like that, so you couldn’t get your news. Thankfully, we had the privacy to mourn and to try to collect our thoughts and have that space away from everybody. We had no idea the reaction to her death would be quite so huge.”
It was a promise that was never fulfilled. Prince William offered a kind sentiment to his mother after her high-profile divorce from Charles.
In the wake of the divorce from Charles, Diana received a lump sum payment of 17 million pounds, with an additional 350,000 pounds annually to run her private office. She also gained joint custody over Prince William and Prince Harry. At the time of the divorce, Diana also lost her Her Royal Highness titles, which left her “distraught,” per The Mirror.
“Losing the HRH meant it was no longer necessary for friends or staff to bow or curtsy in Diana’s presence,” The Mirror said. “It also meant she would now have to curtsy to her husband, her two sons, and a whole host of minor royals.”
A young Prince William made a promise to his mother, saying, “Don’t worry, Mummy, I will give it [her HRH title] back to you one day when I am king.” The interaction led her to tears, as reported by her butler, Paul Burrell. Diana never got to see the change, as she passed away nearly a year after the divorce was finalized.
However, she would still be known as Diana, Princess of Wales after the divorce was finalized. Queen Elizabeth did get a final say in it, saying “there had to be a distance between them.” The late monarch “had to decide on the future title, but she always made it clear to Diana, which was comforting, that she would have all the access she wanted to the boys,” Diana’s biographer Andrew Morton told E! News. “The one thing [Diana] feared above all else was that the boys would be taken away from her, and she knew that the royal family had the constitutional and the legal right to do that if they wanted. But the Queen made it perfectly clear that wouldn’t happen.”
After Princess Diana‘s death, Buckingham Palace consulted the Spencer family and confirmed that her HRH title would not be restored posthumously, as Princess Diana herself would not have wanted any change to the style and title. Her brother Charles said at her funeral that his sister “needed no royal title to continue to generate her particular brand of magic.”
As Prince William gets closer to the throne, he reportedly aims to strip one person’s titles: Prince Andrew’s. According to several sources to RadarOnline, Prince William is determined to remove his uncle from the Firm. “The public deserves to know their monarchy is free from scandal,” Prince William reportedly told his inner circle, per the outlet.
The King and Queen, and the Prince and Princess of Wales were among the royal relatives and high-profile figures to pay tribute to the Duchess of Kent following her death at the age of 92. Her passing on 4 September was announced by Buckingham Palace on Friday.
Charles and Camilla paid tribute in the statement released by the palace, which read, in part: “The King and Queen and all members of The Royal Family join The Duke of Kent, his children and grandchildren in mourning their loss and remembering fondly The Duchess’s life-long devotion to all the organisations with which she was associated, her passion for music and her empathy for young people.”
In a message on Kensington Palace’s official social media accounts, the Prince and Princess of Wales wrote: “Our thoughts today are with The Duke of Kent and his family, particularly George, Helen and Nicholas. The Duchess worked tirelessly to help others and supported many causes, including through her love of music. She will be a much missed member of the family.”
WATCH: The Duchess of Kent has passed away aged 92
High-profile figures and charities react
Through her work as a teacher and her love of music, Katharine made a number of acquaintances and friends within the industry. She even once revealed her admiration for gangsta rap, citing Eminem and Ice Cube. In 2004, she co-founded Future Talent, a charity that helps young children with low-income backgrounds pursue a career in music.
The Duchess singing with the Bach Choir at Kings Lynn Music festival in 1983
The organisation said of the royal: “Everyone at Future Talent is deeply saddened to hear the news of the death of Katharine – our Co-Founder and the visionary behind our charity. Nicholas Robinson OBE, Co-Founder of Future Talent said: ‘We send our heartfelt condolences to Katharine’s family. She was an inspiration who was loved by so many people over the years and will be greatly missed. We have lost a very special person.’”
Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell paid tribute to the Duchess of Kent as “an advocate for children and young people’s welfare”, and someone who had “taught and encouraged generations of young musicians”.
He said: “Today, we mourn the death of Katharine, HRH The Duchess of Kent, who was born here in Yorkshire and whose royal wedding was held at York Minster in the city whose freedom she held. Katharine was an advocate for children and young people’s welfare throughout her life. She taught and encouraged generations of young musicians. Millions will remember her comfort and kindness exemplified in her embrace of Jana Novotna in the final at Wimbledon, whose patron she was for many years.
Czech tennis player Jana Novotna is consoled by the Duchess after losing the women’s singles final at the 1993 Wimbledon Championships
“In 1994 her own deep and profound faith led her from Anglicanism to Roman Catholicism, a moment the then archbishop of Canterbury described as a ‘personal decision of a devout Christian on a spiritual journey’. She was held in high esteem by all who met her and knew her. I pray for the repose of her soul and that HRH The Duke of Kent, their children and all the royal family may know the consolation and comfort that comes from our common Christian faith. May she rest in peace and rise in glory.”
The leader of Catholics in England and Wales recalled the Duchess of Kent’s “lifetime of public service”. Cardinal Vincent Nichols said: I have received with sadness the news today of the death of Her Royal Highness, Katharine, the Duchess of Kent. I recall with fondness her presence in our community, especially her participation in the pilgrimage to Lourdes, as well as her lifetime of public service. I have written to His Royal Highness the Duke of Kent and assured him of the prayers of the Catholic community in England and Wales. We pray that God will receive her soul into heaven, the promise given to us by Our Lord, Jesus Christ. May Katharine now rest in peace and rise in glory.”
Sign up to HELLO! Daily for all the best royal coverage and breaking news
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer issues a moving statement, saying the Duchess of Kent brought “compassion, dignity and a human touch to everything she did”. Extending his “sincere condolences to His Majesty The King and the royal family,” the UK PM touched upon some of the most memorable moments of her life.
“Many will remember that moment at the Wimbledon Ladies Final, when she touchingly comforted the runner-up, Jana Novotna. Later, when it was discovered she had been giving her time and working anonymously as a music teacher at a school in Hull, it seemed typical of her unassuming nature. In so many ways, the duchess sought to help. My thoughts are with her husband, His Royal Highness The Duke of Kent, her family and all those whose lives she touched.”
The Duchess of Kent has been remembered by public figures including the Archbishop of York and the Prime Minister
Funeral arrangements
The Duchess will be expected to have a Catholic funeral, attended by senior royals including the King and Queen. It will be the first Catholic funeral service held for a member of the royal family in modern British history.
The royals are now observing a period of mourning, where the the royals and staff will wear clothing which pays appropriate tribute during this period. Those in Livery, the Royal Mews and Troops on Public Duties will wear black armbands. Some engagements may take place during this period, but households are currently considering the format and tone of each one.
Welcome to The HELLO! Royal Club, where thousands of royal fans like you get to delve deeper into the wonderful world of royalty every day. Want to join them? Just click the button below for a list of club benefits and joining information.
Kate sported a similar makeover three years ago when she was seen taking Prince Louis to school for his first day with Prince William, Prince George, and Princess Charlotte. At the time, the blonder color was referred to as “bronde” – a mix of blonde and bronde which sparked a trend in salons around the country. Kate’s latest look is bolder and shows a new confidence in the royal, who has made a gradual return to work since successfully completing a course of chemotherapy last year.
Kate and William looked thrilled to be back on duty now that the summer holidays are over and their children are back at school. Kate is patron of the Natural History Museum and was greeted by the museum’s director, Doug Gurr, who introduced them to children who benefit from the museum’s learning programs which take place in the newly opened gardens, where scientists and visitors can experience and learn about wildlife in the centre of London. The Natural History Museum’s Urban Nature Project has seen more than 7,500 schools, colleges, and nurseries getting involved so far and is inspiring action in young people by developing their connection with nature.
Kate is passionate about the importance of nature and children spending time in nature, a theme that shaped her Back to Nature play garden at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2019.
Recently, Princess Kate spoke about the importance of nature in her healing journey following her cancer diagnosis last year. In a video she released on social media over the summer, she reiterated the importance of reconnecting with nature.
Thursday’s visit comes after a busy summer for the Prince and Princess of Wales, which included a trip to Kefalonia aboard a luxury superyacht.
William and Kate usually spend their summer in Norfolk at their countryside home Anmer Hall but following a tough year for the family, they decided to travel overseas and enjoyed “the holiday of a lifetime,” according to one royal source.
They adhered to the tradition of traveling to Scotland at the end of the holidays and were in Balmoral for the recent August Bank holiday with King Charles and Queen Camilla and were seen driving to church.
The late Queen Elizabeth II used to host a long weekend for her family and looked forward to welcoming her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren to the castle every year. It is a tradition King Charles has continued and one William and Catherine look forward to each year.
Lately, it feels like the closer we get to one of the feuds that have consumed the British royal family for the past few years being fixed, another one pops up. King Charles and Prince Harry are closer to not just reconciling, but meeting in person. But there are reports that Prince William and King Charles are now not seeing eye to eye on the monarchy in general, and Prince Harry and Prince William’s relationship still seems far from good terms.
Particularly due to a new report that indicates the brothers could end up making rival documentaries about Princess Diana to mark the 30th anniversary of her death. Prince Harry’s Archewell production company is rumored to already be in talks about the documentary, and sources told The Daily Beast that William will feel like he has to make his own if Harry does go ahead.
“As everyone knows he hates Netflix with a passion, just like all the royals do back in England because of The Crown and the way they were portrayed on the show,” the Examiner.reported. “The show completely trashed their grandfather and essentially accused him of being a cheating dog, and it gave a very nasty portrayal of their father too.”
“It sickens William that his own brother would work with them at all,” the source added, “let alone on something related to their beloved mother.” Not just that, the source also said, “[Harry] knows exactly how his brother feels about Netflix, so the fact that he’s going ahead with this is such a slap in the face. It’s like nothing is sacred with him when it comes to the almighty American dollar.”
King Charles is also doing a documentary with Netflix; it was recently announced. The King is collaborating with actor Idris Elba for a documentary about The King’s Trust, a charity King Charles founded in 1976.
As for a possible Princess Diana documentary, one executive at an independent production house in the U.K told The Daily Beast. “Harry is looking to do a series about Diana in 2027. They want to get the right partners, and we have had a conversation with them. I’m sure other production companies have too. An inside account of the implosion of Charles and Diana’s marriage and Harry’s story of Diana’s death and its aftermath would be the TV sensation of all time.”
But a friend of William explained to the outlet that this is not what the brothers had agreed upon. “The film the brothers made for the 20th anniversary was meant to be the last word. William made that very clear at the time. But of course things have changed since then. If Harry is now going to do another massive Netflix show effectively claiming her legacy, William will have to fight back, whether that’s with an interview or a documentary of his own. The whole situation is just very sad.”
One feud is on its way to being fixed, another one seems to be deepening. It truly feels like there’s no way to win for the British royal family. Or, no way to be at peace.
Times have changed. If there’s someone who seems determined to prove that, it’s Prince William. And that’s not just reflected in the plans he’s reportedly made to modernize the monarchy once he’s King, but also on the little things about his life and the life of his wife and children we hear reported about now. And for Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, that has meant a very significant change at school.
Even though the three have titles, and have had titles since birth, these titles are not used at school. Instead, the Prince and Princess of Wales’s children are simply known as George Wales, Charlotte Wales, and Louis Wales. This is, of course, a nod to their parents’ titles. Reportedly, before William and Kate had this title, when they were known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, their children used Cambridge as a last name.
Before that, Prince William and Prince Harry did the same, taking on their father’s former title of Wales as their surname in school.
Members of the royal family do not always use a surname; sometimes they are referred to by their title, name, and His or Her Royal Highness. But the explanation for the surname can be found on the royal family’s website, which states: “At a meeting of the Privy Council on 17 July 1917, George V declared that ‘all descendants in the male line of Queen Victoria, who are subjects of these realms, other than female descendants who marry or who have married, shall bear the name of Windsor’.”
This all comes as Prince William focuses on changing the way the public perceives the royal family. “I can only describe what I’m trying to do and that’s trying to do it differently, and I’m trying to do it for my generation,” William said late last year. “I’m doing it with maybe a smaller r in the royal, if you like, that’s maybe a better way of saying it.”
Reportedly, their move from Adelaide Cottage to Forest Lodge is part of that. “Moving gives them an opportunity for a fresh start and a new chapter; an opportunity to leave some of the more unhappy memories behind. This is a move for the long term. They see it as their forever home,” a source told NBC News about the decision, which was made after what Prince William himself has characterized as a very hard year.
The family is expected to remain there and not move to Buckingham Palace when William ascends to the throne. “I don’t think William is going to bat an eyelid about breaking certain royal traditions.” Royal expert Jennie Bond told GB News. “He doesn’t want to live in a palace or a castle, and he has made up his mind to do things differently.”
“Living in a house—albeit a pretty big house as Forest Lodge is—will give his family a much more normal life, and that, I’m sure, is going to stand them in good stead,” she added.
That, on top of a more normal-looking school life for his kids, is a pretty good start for Prince William and Kate Middleton.
In 2007, Kate Middleton and Prince William ended their relationship. The breakup was announced in the tabloids, with no protest from the palace, nearly five years after their romance began. But before too long, the future King and Queen of England reunited. Former royal butlerGrant Harrold, who worked for Prince Charles at the time, tells the story of how they came together again in a new book called The Royal Butler: My Remarkable Life in Royal Service.
In 2008, a year after the breakup, Harrold says found himself in charge of a very special meal. His mission? Organize a private dinner for two at the royal residence of Highgrove House. The guests? Kate and William, who were celebrating the revival of their relationship.
“It was just the two of them,” the former butler recalled to People. “It was really nice, really special.” Despite the intimacy of a meal designed for them, he added, they took care to “interact a lot” with him. He saw how the dinner’s atmosphere reflected their newfound camaraderie.
“Before, they weren’t [really] holding hands—it was very much William’s friend. After that, when they got back together, it absolutely changed, and it was very much them as a couple. Something changed, and you knew they were a couple, and from then on, it was very much a waiting game,” he said. “After they got back together, I was convinced they would get married. We didn’t know how long it would take.”
Harrold compares the Wales couple’s love to that shared by the late Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip: “When you saw them together and see them get on as friends, although they were in love, they are also absolutely best friends,” he said. “They were best friends who worked together as a team.”
But the 2007 breakup could have been final. Kate spent much of that year waiting for her prince, who was on one mission after another as he trained for the military and to be a helicopter pilot. Each time he returned to London, he partied hard with his friends. At the time, The Guardian— quoting The Sun—reported that “the couple have seen each other no more than once a week” and “their relationship has been on a downward spiral.” The tabloid quoted a close friend of both: “As far as Kate is concerned, William simply hasn’t been paying her enough attention. She is stuck in London while he is living in an officer’s mess in Dorset. Kate feels hugely frustrated that their relationship just seems to be going backwards at a rate of knots.” Paparazzi footage showing Prince Harry’s brother flirting with other young women didn’t help the situation.
According to Robert Jobson, author of a biography devoted to the Princess of Wales, the breakup took place over the phone, and William was the catalyst. “William telephoned to initiate a split, telling her that he felt they needed ‘a bit of space’ to ‘find our own way,” Jobson said. “William admitted his inability to commit to marriage.” The phone call reportedly lasted half an hour, enough time for them to both acknowledge being on “different pages.” The eldest son of Prince Charles and Princess Diana was said to have drowned his sorrows in parties. He even shouted “I’m free!” to his friends in a Mayfair nightclub before buying a round.
Prince William and Kate Middleton in 2007 at the Cheltenham Festival.
Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images
Kate, for her part, returned to live with her parents for a while, before a family holiday in Dublin and a vacation in Ibiza. Rather than run away from the paparazzi, she used the cameras to project the image of a radiant young woman enjoying her freedom, too. A few months later, the exes reunited at a party organized by a mutual friend. Rumor has it they made up on the dance floor. Eighteen years on, Kate and William are the parents of three children—Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis—and continue to represent the Crown as they await becoming sovereigns in their own rights.
Prince William’s already expected to change the monarchy as we know it. The heir reportedly also wants to keep his home life balanced and out of the spotlight once he takes the throne.
In late August 2025, it was reported that the Prince and Princess of Wales is moving to Forest Lodge in Windsor Great Park from Adelaide Cottage. Royal expert Jennie Bond told GB News that it’s a pivotal moment for the future King. “William is focused on creating a stable and private family life: the kind he never had when he was growing up,” she explained about his kids, Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7. “And so he wants to keep his family firmly rooted.”
The royal family also isn’t expected to live in Buckingham Palace when he ascends to the throne. “I don’t think William is going to bat an eyelid about breaking certain royal traditions.” The royal expert continued, “He doesn’t want to live in a palace or a castle, and he has made up his mind to do things differently.”
“Living in a house—albeit a pretty big house as Forest Lodge is—will give his family a much more normal life, and that, I’m sure, is going to stand them in good stead,” the royal expert continued.
For the royal expert, it goes hand in hand for the Prince’s goals to make the royal family seem relatable to the public. “I can only describe what I’m trying to do and that’s trying to do it differently and I’m trying to do it for my generation,” William said late last year. “I’m doing it with maybe a smaller r in the royal, if you like, that’s maybe a better way of saying it.”
William and Kate are reportedly looking at the move as a chance at a new beginning for their family after what has been a complicated year for them. “Moving gives them an opportunity for a fresh start and a new chapter; an opportunity to leave some of the more unhappy memories behind. This is a move for the long term. They see it as their forever home,” a source told NBC News.
The family is expected to move in December 2025. The residence is reportedly is reportedly being renovated according to Prince William and Kate Middleton’s specifications, with new shrubs being planted and a metal fence with black mesh privacy screens being placed around the front of the home to ensure privacy for their family. The Prince and Princess of Wales are said to be paying for the renovations themselves to ease taxpayers’ wallets.
Prince Harry is likely to reunite with his father King Charles in the UK without his wife, Meghan Markle. The Duke of Sussex is reportedly planning to meet up with the King after 20 months without contact.
A source told The Mirror that the reconciliation is indeed happening between father and son in September. The Duke is slated to return to the UK on the third death anniversary of Queen Elizabeth for the WellChild Awards, a charity he has been patron of for 17 years. There is “determination on both sides to make [a reunion] happen,” the source said. “Nobody is pretending the wider family issues have been resolved, but this is about beginning with Charles and Harry,” the source said, saying that it’s “the right time to take that step” with “a simple face-to-face conversation between a father and son.”
The source continued, “This is not about grand gestures or set-piece meetings. … The priority is privacy and dignity, but also ensuring the door stays open for further dialogue.
The Sun reported that Meghan is “not expected” to join her husband on the trip. It would mark his first trip back to his home country after losing a public court battle to reinstate his public funded security with the Home Office. Harry always said the legal battle “mattered” more to him than anything else.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have indicated they don’t believe they’re safe in the U.K., with Harry saying when he lost his court case trying to get security reinstated, “I can’t see a world in which I would be bringing my wife and children back to the U.K. at this point.”
On the family front, there’s still tension within the family. Prince William is reportedly not involved in the reunion. “As for Harry and William, though, any chance of reconciliation between them has been rejected out of hand,” the Mirror insider added.
Ingrid Seward, editor-in-chief of Majesty magazine and author of “My Mother and I,” claimed to Fox News Digital that William is having trouble taking that final step because of Meghan Markle. “The flea in the ointment really is very much Meghan,” Seward said. A source told People that William and Harry are “on separate paths” with no communication between them. “The rift is very profound and very long-lasting,” Robert Lacey, author of Battle of Brothers, told the outlet. “It will not be changed, in my opinion, until Harry makes a move and apologizes.”
To add to that, William and Kate’s friends refer to Markle’s brand, As Ever. A royal source told the Daily Mail that the rebrand of the company made friends of the couple give the brand a new nickname: “As If.”
Reportedly, the meaning behind “as if” is “as if it will take off.” One reportedly said, “It’s caused quite a bit of laughter within the group. WhatsApp messages have been going back and forth. It’s all very budget and rushed. Embarrassing, really.” There’s no confirmation on whether this is a name William and Kate also use. But time will tell if the royal family will ever be reunited fully.
The fact that Prince William will soon be King and things will change when he is, cannot be denied. And that will probably take some getting used to for some of the older royals, like Princess Anne, who have been used to doing things one way for so long. The Princess Royal, widely regarded as the hardest-working royal, is said to be prepared to continue to do her duty. But what about her children?
Royal expert Richard Palmer, in his report for I News, cited an insider and claimed that once Prince William is King, the number of working royals is predicted to shrink to just five or six. That’s about half of what it is now, and about a third of what it was under Queen Elizabeth. “William won’t have cousins helping him like the Queen [Elizabeth] did. So he’ll have to work smarter,” one source said.
Princess Anne is expected to continue working, and both Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie are likewise expected to have prominent roles. That’s the older generation stepping up and continuing with their duties. But according to Palmer, “there will be no room for their children on the taxpayer-funded payroll.” That contradicts previous reports indicating William would lean on his cousins like Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.
This comes after The Sunday Timesrecently reported that Princess Anne was “annoyed” that William had not taken on more investiture ceremonies at Windsor Castle. This makes sense considering Princess Anne does the bulk of these ceremonies. And, if the monarchy is going to be slimmed down even further when he’s King, then that will probably continue to be a concern of hers going forward. She’s always been renowned for being hard-working, but she probably would like not to be the only one who is.
A source close to Princess Anne reportedly said, “She’s still doing most of the investitures [at Windsor] even though William lives there. It annoys her.”
The numbers don’t lie. In 2024, Princess Anne outnumbered absolutely every working royal when it came to royal engagements undertaken. She had 473, which was over 100 more than King Charles, who came in second place with 372 engagements. A distant third was Prince Edward with 293. Prince William wasn’t even in the top 3.
However, despite these reported annoyances, William is said to have a very good relationship with his aunt—unlike his relationship with his uncle, Prince Andrew. She is also said to be very supportive of him and his desire to modernize the monarchy. After she returned to work after a recent accident, the Prince and Princess of Wales shared a sweet message for her on social media that read: “Super trooper! So great to see you back so soon! W & C x”.
And Princess Anne, who is 75 years old, has no plans to retire anytime soon. She said in an interview with the Press Association, “I don’t think there’s a retirement program on this particular life. It really isn’t written in, no. It isn’t really an option, no, I don’t think so.” So it’s safe to say that she’ll continue to support her brother, King Charles, and she’ll be around to support her nephew, Prince William, for as long as she’s able.
