Prince William's door is 'bolted shut' as Prince Harry plans UK return with Meghan Markle, children: expert
Prince Harry is heading to the U.K. in July, and this time, he's expected to bring his wife, Meghan Markle, and their two young children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
It will mark the first time in four years that the Duke of Sussex, who resides in California, has returned to his home country with his wife and children. The Sussexes are expected to travel across the Atlantic to join celebrations marking the one-year countdown to the Invictus Games Birmingham 2027 event, according to the BBC.
Fox News Digital reached out to Archewell, which handles the offices of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, for comment.
Dan Wakeford, founder of the weekly pop-culture newsletter Celebrity Intelligence, has been speaking with well-placed sources about the surprise visit. A veteran celebrity-media editor, Wakeford previously led People magazine, Entertainment Weekly and Us Weekly.
Wakeford told Fox News Digital that royal watchers shouldn't hold their breath for "a complete reconciliation with the family."
"It's a slight thaw and a good beginning," he said. "[Harry] is not going to be meeting William. I cannot see that happening at all. Harry reportedly wants [King] Charles to spend time with Archie and Lilibet, and he's been pushing for that. And I think that will likely happen from talking to folks in and around this."
WATCH: PRINCE WILLIAM UNLIKELY TO RECONCILE WITH PRINCE HARRY SOON: EXPERT
"A William and Catherine meeting is incredibly unlikely," Wakeford warned. "The king is the door that might open, but the Wales household is completely bolted shut right now. [William's] stance has not changed, and they would not arrange to see Harry and Meghan outside an official public engagement. And I don't even think that is going to happen. That's a much firmer line than Charles' side of the street."
Charles, 77, has offered his younger son and his family accommodation on a royal estate, People magazine reported. The outlet reported that there has been no response to the offer. Previously, the monarch offered Harry accommodation at Buckingham Palace, which the Duke of Sussex declined.
Wakeford said sources indicated that Charles, eager to spend time with his grandchildren, might be open to funding the family's security while they're in the U.K. However, "folks are not confirming this on the record right now." Fox News Digital reached out to Buckingham Palace for comment.
"Harry is testing whether a U.K. presence is sustainable again, and July 10 is the test run," said Wakeford. "Whether it becomes the first of many trips, which is the phrase being used around this, depends entirely on how Charles handles it and whether William keeps his distance. William's position is hardened just as much as ever, and it seems permanent."
If Harry and his family stay at a royal residence, there would be no security provisions, which are decided by the Home Office, People reported. The couple lost their tax-funded police protection when they stepped back as senior royals in 2020. Harry has fought the decision in court to reinstate security, citing safety concerns for his wife and children, the outlet shared.
The outlet also reported that, for now, no plans for a reunion between the king and his son have been confirmed. The pair had met during previous trips when Harry traveled to the U.K. alone.
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Father and son were last reunited in September 2025 at the king's London residence, where they privately met for 55 minutes. It was their first in-person meeting in 19 months. At the time, Harry was in the U.K. for the WellChild Awards and Invictus Games events.
"I suspect the king is genuinely eager to spend time with Archie and Lili because opportunities have been so limited," Kinsey Schofield, host of "Kinsey Schofield Unfiltered," told Fox News Digital.
"I am also sympathetic to the king's cancer diagnosis. Grandchildren tend to soften even the most complicated family disputes. Charles wants peace with his son. Whether he wants a full restoration of trust is another question. Trust and reconciliation are not the same thing. Harry's book 'Spare' was especially venomous toward the family and caused a lot of hurt."
Wakeford said William is refusing to budge on his stance toward his estranged brother.
"He could perhaps have absorbed the criticism of himself, which Harry wrote in 'Spare,' but he cannot get over how much hurt it caused his wife," Wakeford claimed.
"A palace source told Celebrity Intelligence plainly that William was fuming and particularly upset about what was said about Catherine. "And so, the relationship ... he's done with it. He's done with the drama."
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Wakeford noted that the Princess of Wales has the magic touch to encourage William to concede. However, "she's torn herself."
"She likes the idea of ... these brothers talking to each other, but she has been hurt by Harry," Wakeford claimed.
British royal expert Hilary Fordwich claimed that William is "livid" over Harry and Meghan's return and is locked in a disagreement with Charles about the couple's place within the royal fold. Other royal commentators have suggested that while tensions remain, the extent of any current disagreement between father and son has not been publicly confirmed.
"It's been described by those close to both as putting their relationship 'at a very low ebb,'" said Fordwich.
Fordwich claimed that while the king remains open to reconciliation as "a forgiving Christian man," William believes Harry and Meghan's return could only bring more strain to the royal family.
"Charles is a very kind, family-oriented man who wants to see his grandchildren and presumably play a role in their lives," royal broadcaster Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital. "He also wants to create a culture where Meghan feels comfortable to return. [But] we are told William is furious about all of this."
Schofield agreed.
"Prince William and King Charles appear to be approaching the situation from different perspectives," she said. "Charles thinks like a father and grandfather. William thinks like the future king. Charles may be willing to reopen family conversations, while William remains focused on protecting the institution and the people closest to him."
"Prince William has watched private family matters become global headlines for years," said Schofield.
"From his perspective, the damage wasn't limited to Harry's memoir or the Netflix series. His wife was dragged into the controversy ... Prince William is famously protective of Catherine, and I think many people underestimate how much resentment remains over what she endured, particularly while facing her own health challenges."
Turner also claimed that there are fears within the House of Windsor that secret conversations could be leaked to the press. However, Wakeford argued that Harry may have already learned his lesson.
"Harry hasn't publicly said he's sorry about what he said to William," he explained. "But he does, from my sources, regret some of the things that he said in the [Netflix] documentary and in the book about William and his father. There are no plans to continue any projects, whether that's with Netflix and books, that would talk about his family in similar ways."
"Sources have also told Celebrity Intelligence that Meghan is very keen on the children having a royal lineage and having a connection to the royals," said Wakeford. "And also, she wants Harry to be happy. And Harry wants his children to have a connection to the family. Obviously, the situation has caused her a lot of hurt in the past. But she wants to support Harry."
Wakeford predicted reactions will be mixed when the Sussexes touch down. But for Harry, his family's safety will remain a priority above all else.
"When Harry and Meghan and the kids arrive in the U.K., it's going to be a very split mood," said Wakeford.
"There's a huge amount of affection for Harry, and Harry is beloved still, even though the British feel a little bit betrayed by him. But the sentiment against Meghan is extremely complicated. Polls show her popularity in Britain remains low. And so, this is why the security issue is so important. That there is safety there. She has been threatened in very serious ways. Making sure the security is adequate is the priority here."