Prince William and Kate Middleton 'playing it cool' as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle return to the UK: expert
A report circulated earlier this week claiming that Prince William and Kate Middleton are avoiding a "knee-jerk" reaction to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s return to the U.K. Experts say the Prince and Princess of Wales are sending a warning to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
A source told People on Sept. 1 that William and Middleton are consciously not making a fuss about Harry and Markle's move. "They are watching this space. It’s private — they don’t feel the need to say anything or demonstrate anything outwardly," the source told the outlet.
Kinsey Schofield, host of YouTube’s "Kinsey Schofield Unfiltered," told Fox News Digital that Harry and Markle's move will not magically reset their relationship with the senior royals.
"Trust is earned through behavior over time, not by changing your zip code. Prince William and Catherine don’t appear to feel any urgency whatsoever," Schofield began. "Harry and Meghan made the dramatic decision to return to Britain. That doesn’t mean the Prince and Princess of Wales suddenly have to rearrange their lives around them. If Harry genuinely wants a relationship with his brother again, I suspect William is going to want to see consistency rather than another grand gesture."
Richard Fitzwilliams, royal commentator, told Fox News Digital that Harry's move home is not going to land him "brownie points" within the royal family.
"Moving back to Britain, especially in the way they did it and with Harry, we are told, still demanding an apology, won’t get them brownie points with the royal family," he began. "However, it does give them the initiative as everyone has been so shocked. William ostentatiously played polo with Catherine supporting him on the day the Sussexes saw the King and Queen and didn't bother to mention their plans and those fit their children, so we are told."
Christopher Andersen, author of "Kate!", explained that William and Middleton are not happy that Harry and Markle are "bringing their act back to town."
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"Just at the moment when their eldest child is leaving home for the first time to start his first year at prep school, the Sussexes land back in the U.K. to stir things up. Granted, George isn't going very far — Eton is a brief stroll down the hill from Windsor Castle and a short ride from the family home, Forest Lodge. But it's a big deal when a future king enrolls at Eton — when William enrolled there in 1995, it was treated as a major news event. Even though Harry and Meghan have agreed to lie low for the next few weeks, it's inevitable that they will be a major, and highly unwelcome, distraction," Andersen said.
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He continued, "The Prince and Princess of Wales are suspicious of the Sussexes' motives, to say the least. They are not about to invite Harry and Meghan over for tea any time soon. William and Kate are playing it cool publicly, but obviously they are exasperated. They were not prepared for this — certainly not now. There is a great deal of speculation about what Harry and Meghan really are up to — and not just inside the Waleses' camp. Harry and Meghan's arrival on the royal family's doorstep puts the King and Camilla in an awkward position — and for several reasons."
Andersen went on to weigh the optics, saying King Charles will face scrutiny no matter what decision he makes.
"If the King welcomes his estranged son back into the royal fold, will William see it as a betrayal — especially after all the damning things Harry wrote about in his memoir Spare? Will Charles also risk alienating his subjects, the vast majority of whom want Harry and Meghan to return to the U.S.? Keep in mind that recent polls show Meghan with a 22 percent approval rating in Great Britain. It won't sit well with nearly 80 percent of the country if the King says all is forgiven. And then there is the issue of security. With Archie and Lilibet attending school in the Cotswolds, the King is going to look awfully heartless if he continues to deny the Sussexes' royal protection," he said.
Ian Pelham Turner, royal broadcaster, told Fox News Digital that he predicts a "royal battle" between Markle and Middleton to win the public over.
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"Recently I suggested that there was going to be a battle royal between Meghan and Kate over who would eventually win the public crown for the Queen of hearts," he said. "My personal attitude is that William felt comfortable with Harry in America because he could constantly control the narrative for being the future King without any brand interference from his brother."
Turner continued, "In doing so, his vision of the future has allegedly brought disagreement with King Charles to a point where there has been talk of very heated rows. So, I am not sure there are cool heads with William and Kate who may be hoping that behind the scenes attacks on Meghan again criticizing any aspirations she may have of building a career in Britain may bear fruit."