Prince William does not need "Prince Harry's drama", a royal commentator has claimed, as the two brothers found themselves both in the UK last week.
The Prince and Princess of Wales spent last week in Scotland, appearing utterly carefree, sliding across ice during a curling session with Winter Olympics athletes and sharing laughs with locals at a village pub.
Their relaxed demeanour stood in sharp contrast to the Duke of Sussex, who had returned to Britain for legal proceedings against a newspaper group.
The geographical closeness only served to show the emotional distance that has grown between the once-close siblings since Harry departed from royal duties.
Prince William 'no longer needs Prince Harry's drama' as brothers skip UK reunion
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Royal author Robert Jobson claimed that despite being in the same country, the brothers exist in entirely separate worlds.
"William and Kate are the embodiment of the future of the monarchy, while Harry looks trapped in the past," he told Hello!.
Mr Jobson added: "Right now, William is focused on duty, Harry on grievance.
"William is building a future, and he no longer needs Harry's drama.
Prince Harry attended his High Court trial last week
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"You can't bridge that gap when one brother is moving forward, and the other won't let go of the past and the bitterness."
While William and Kate flew the flag for British sport ahead of next month's Winter Games, Harry was preparing to deliver emotional testimony at the High Court.
The estranged brothers found themselves geographically closer than they had been in months, yet the gulf between them remained vast.
At the National Curling Academy in Stirling, the royal couple tried their hand at the sport for the first time, attempting to guide stones across the ice towards the target.
Princess Kate and Prince William were carrying out engagements in Scotland
| GETTYKate gripped her husband's arm as she carefully made her way onto the rink, lifting her wool Le Kilt skirt and tucking her hair back before finding her footing.
"No pressure, guys," William joked with the athletes present.
The pair then visited Radical Weavers, a charity teaching traditional Scottish tartan-weaving to help those experiencing social isolation and trauma.
Their final engagement took them to The Gothenburg pub in Fallin, a former mining village near Stirling, where they enjoyed drinks with residents.
The Duke of Sussex, giving evidence in his legal battle against ANL, the Daily Mail's publisher, delivered an emotional statement about his wife | PAThe following day, Harry took the witness stand and delivered testimony that left him visibly moved, accusing the newspaper of making his wife, Meghan's, life "an absolute misery".
By the time the duke gave his evidence, William and Kate had returned to Windsor, placing them merely 25 miles from the High Court.
Despite this proximity, the brothers remained further apart than ever.
The couple had flown back from Scotland that evening, yet no reunion with Harry materialised.