Prince William’s misgivings about Meghan Markle are seen as the main obstacle to reconciling with his estranged brother Prince Harry, according to a royal author.
The Prince of Wales, 43, is understood to have had no contact with Harry for more than two years, with their fractured relationship further damaged by the Sussexes’ projects, including a tell-all memoir, high-profile interviews, and a Netflix series.
Royal commentator Ingrid Seward claimed that William has been unwilling to reopen dialogue with Harry amid trust issues.
“The flea in the ointment really is very much Meghan,” she said. “She’s disliked intensely by a large number of the monarchists of this country.”
Prince William’s ‘trust issues’ seen as roadblock to peace with Harry and Meghan
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“I think a lot of people in America feel the same,” Seward added.
On March 8, 2021, a US YouGov snap poll taken right after the Sussexes' Oprah Winfrey interview revealed that 68 per cent of Americans expressed sympathy for Harry and Meghan, while 27 per cent said they felt little or none.
By May 2022, however, YouGov polling showed Meghan’s popularity slipping. At that point, 45 per cent of Americans viewed her positively and 36 per cent negatively, leaving her with a net approval rating of +9.
In YouGov’s most recent US poll from April 2025, only 41 per cent of Americans viewed Meghan positively. This placed the Duchess of Sussex below Prince William, Princess Kate, and Prince Harry in popularity.
Prince Harry and Prince William have had a strained relationship since Harry moved to California
| PASeward, author of My Mother and I, also pointed to Meghan’s ongoing rift with her father, Thomas Markle Sr., whose relationship with his daughter broke down around the time of her 2018 wedding. He suffered a stroke in 2022 and has never met his grandchildren.
“It’s just extraordinary to think that her children have not met their grandfather,” Seward continued to tell Fox News. “There are a lot of difficult emotions [to] get over there,” she added.
The remarks come after insiders told People that William and Harry remain on “separate paths.” Royal historian Robert Lacey, author of Battle of Brothers, told the outlet: “The rift is very profound and very long-lasting. It will not be changed, in my opinion, until Harry makes a move and apologises.”
Sources also claimed that Harry’s attempts to reach out to William via calls and texts had gone unanswered.
Meghan and Harry stepped down as working royals in 2020 | PASeward suggested William has “taken a firm stance” in keeping distance from the Sussexes, while Harry believes his wife was mistreated during her time as a working royal.
“Harry thinks that William insulted Meghan,” she said. “I think when you have that kind of animosity, it’s really hard to [get around it]. I just don’t see any kind of reparation. I just don’t see it at this moment.”
In May, Prince Harry told the BBC that he wants "reconciliation" with his family.
Two months later, the Sussexes' aides were photographed meeting King Charles's representatives in London, in what was viewed as huge progress in peace relations between the two camps.
During the interview with the BBC, Harry emphasised his desire to heal the rift with his family
| BBCHowever, Kensington Palace aides, who represent Prince William and Princess Kate, were not present at the meeting.
GB News understands Meredith Maines, Chief Communications Officer for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, was in London to meet Prince Harry and Meghan's UK Director of Communications, Liam Maguire.
She also met the Sussexes' UK-based team, journalists, other stakeholders and senior figures related to Prince Harry's charity work.
The visit was viewed as "entirely routine" and part of ongoing planning and engagement. Ms Maines is one of Harry and Meghan's senior aides and works out of Montecito.