Prince William should consider reaching out to Prince Harry rather than shunning him when the Duke of Sussex returns to Britain, Rabbi Jonathan Romain has argued, as the brothers’ long-running rift comes under renewed scrutiny.
The question has taken on fresh significance after Harry and Meghan announced plans to spend an extended period in the UK with their children, Archie and Lilibet. The couple are not expected to resume official royal duties, but their return will place them closer to the Prince and Princess of Wales.
Rabbi Romain’s argument centres on the religious and moral value of forgiveness, while acknowledging that reconciliation cannot erase the damage caused by years of public accusations, interviews and recriminations.
William and Harry are understood to have had little or no direct contact since the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022. The brothers have remained apart despite Harry’s recent efforts to rebuild relations with his father, King Charles III.
Prince William and Prince Harry face a difficult choice
Harry has previously spoken of his wish for reconciliation with his family, while continuing to criticise aspects of royal life and the treatment of himself and Meghan. That combination has left William facing a difficult choice: whether to make the first move or protect his family by maintaining his distance.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex recently spent time with the King at Highgrove, a meeting seen by royal observers as a tentative step towards repairing the relationship between father and son. There has been no comparable sign of progress between Harry and William.
Harry and Meghan’s children are due to attend school in Britain, according to reports, making regular contact between the two sides of the family more likely. Their return therefore risks keeping the dispute in the public eye, but could also create opportunities for a private conversation.
Any rapprochement would be complicated by the depth of the brothers’ estrangement and by the continuing distrust surrounding Harry’s public disclosures. A reconciliation, if it comes, is likely to be gradual rather than a single dramatic reunion.
For William, the issue is not simply whether to forgive his brother. It is whether doing so privately, and without restoring Harry to royal duties, could allow the family relationship to survive while protecting the future of the monarchy.
