Prince William and Prince Harry “Are Very Much Back on Their Old Buddy Terms” Ahead of Platinum Jubilee

(Image credit: Yui Mok / WPA Pool for Getty Images)

published 29 May 2022

Brothers Prince William and Prince Harry—whose relationship has been strained for the better part of five years—will reunite face-to-face this week as Platinum Jubilee celebrations kick off. (The Sussexes are reportedly going to fly out imminently for the U.K.) And, according to an exclusive from The Mirror, the brothers are intentionally working to repair their rift, hoping for a drama-free weekend celebrating their beloved grandmother the Queen and her 70 years on the throne.

The Mirror reports that the brothers are exchanging regular messages on WhatsApp and FaceTiming one another weekly without their respective wives present so as to heal their bond as brothers. (Sometimes, though, their kids will join in on the FaceTime calls.) And it seems to be working, as the outlet says “the previously warring pair are now said to be back to some form of normality after William made the first move to heal the family rift before next weekend’s celebrations.”

Interestingly, Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle “have so far held back from onscreen contact, giving their husbands time to fix their relationship one-to-one,” The Mirror says. Giving their husbands space has apparently worked, as William and Harry are back on solid footing.

“William sees that Meghan is a good mother and loyal wife and he is genuinely pleased for his brother,” a source tells The Mirror. “It seems that the two of them have healed the rift and are very much back on their old buddy terms. Meghan’s distance from Kate has also helped heal the friction bet[ween] the two men.”

Not surprisingly, William was disappointed about the abrupt way Harry and Meghan left the royal family, but time has soothed the situation.

“The brothers needed time for everything to settle down,” the source says. “The family, including William, had been disappointed in the way Harry and Meghan chose to leave the royal family. But now there is a strong feeling that what happened is in the past and that they have moved on.”

This, of course, will be music to Her Majesty’s ears, as she has wished for a smooth, tension-free, and happy weekend celebrating the monarchy.

Upon their arrival in London, the Sussexes will stay at Frogmore Cottage in Windsor, a short drive from the Queen’s castle apartments. It is expected that Harry and Meghan will attend the Service of Thanksgiving for the Queen on June 3 and at least one another engagement throughout the Jubilee celebrations; they are also set to throw a small party for daughter Lili’s first birthday on June 4, though William and Kate won’t make it—but only because they have a prior engagement scheduled, The Mirror reports. Lili’s godparents and close friends will be in attendance.

We could also see Harry and Meghan in the Jubilee pageant in their own carriage, though the Queen has invited only working royals to appear with her on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after Trooping the Colour on June 2. The Mirror reports that, in lieu of appearing on the balcony, Harry and Meghan could be in the VIP section to watch the Horse Guards Parade.

“The Queen wanted the Jubilee to be a fresh start for the brothers,” the source says. “Harry has been looking forward to coming home and showing his family. It’s home, after all, and he’s missed it.”

Well, if that’s not good news for your Sunday, I don’t know what is!

Rachel Burchfield is a writer, editor, and podcaster whose primary interests are fashion and beauty, society and culture, and, most especially, the British Royal Family and other royal families around the world. She serves as Marie Claire’s Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor and has also contributed to publications like Allure, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, People, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and W, among others. Before taking on her current role with Marie Claire, Rachel served as its Weekend Editor and later Royals Editor. She is the cohost of Podcast Royal, a show that was named a top five royal podcast by The New York Times. A voracious reader and lover of books, Rachel also hosts I’d Rather Be Reading, which spotlights the best current nonfiction books hitting the market and interviews the authors of them. Rachel frequently appears as a media commentator, and she or her work has appeared on outlets like NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN, and more.