A prominent royal expert has issued a stark warning about the future of the monarchy, claiming that the ongoing rift between Prince William and Prince Harry could cause "incalculable damage" to the institution.
Andrew Norman Wilson argued that reconciliation between the brothers is essential before William ascends to the throne.
Wilson's assessment carries a particularly grave warning about the constitutional implications of the brothers' estrangement.
"It's no exaggeration to say that this row could one day begin the process that leads to a republic. And that could come much sooner than we royalists might like to admit," he warned.
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|A royal expert has issued a grave verdict on the Royal Family's future if the rift between Harry and William is not healed
Wilson argued: "When Charles vacates the stage, as one day he must, and William is anointed, a middle-aged brother in exile, on non-speakers with the sovereign but with a potential audience of billions, could do incalculable damage."
The newspaper columnist suggested that without peace between the siblings, tensions will escalate significantly during William's eventual reign.
He believed that Harry, with his global platform and massive audience reach, could pose a significant threat to the monarchy's stability if he remains alienated from his brother.
To that end, he feared that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex might "seethe and seek revenge" if William were to avoid making peace with his younger brother.
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|Wilson believed the the Royal Family could be dealt 'incalculable damage' if Harry was still at odds with William when he ascends to the Throne
In his analysis, Wilson acknowledges the deep-rooted nature of the brothers' difficulties, noting they stem from shared childhood trauma.
"This was a pair of brothers who, from earliest childhood, were facing the broken marriage of their parents; their mother's untimely death; unfounded and scurrilous speculation about Harry's paternity; and generally a gnawing inferiority complex on Harry's part - some of it understandable.
"Who wouldn't feel inferior, after all, to the heir to throne?" Wilson reckoned when writing for the Daily Mail.
"All those who have William's best interests at heart - and this must include everyone who wants a bright future for the monarchy - must be begging him to extend some kind of olive branch to his wayward, disloyal and maddening younger sibling," he wrote.
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|Representatives of King Charles and the Duke of Sussex have recently engaged in peace talks
Relations between the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and the Royal Family soured after they dramatically quit royal duties in 2020, relocating to California.
Since then, the couple have pursued television work, including a major Netflix deal, and Harry released his controversial memoir Spare, which only intensified tensions between the brothers.
Amid the tension, representatives from King Charles and Prince Harry met in London for apparent peace talks on Sunday.
King Charles’s communications secretary, Tobyn Andreae, sat down with Meredith Maines, Harry and Meghan's chief communications officer, and Liam Maguire, their British public relations chief.
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|No members of the Prince and Princess of Wales's team were present at the peace summit
The summit was held at Royal Over-Seas League, a short distance from the King’s London residence of Clarence House.
However, nobody from William and Kate’s team was present at the sit-down after they were reportedly asked not to attend.
"It's no coincidence that William and Catherine did not have a representative at the Royal Over-Seas League," a friend of the royal revealed.
The insider explained: "They were not asked to send anyone and will be treating the talks with extreme caution.
"The fact that it ended up in the newspapers tells you all you need to know," the friend told The Mail.