Prince William's 'Mistrust' Of Sister-In-law Meghan Has Reportedly Derailed Reunion With Harry

Royal experts suggest Prince William's reluctance to reconcile with Prince Harry stems largely from his mistrust of Meghan Markle.

Since the former actress and her husband's exit from royal life, she has remained unpopular among monarchists and is criticized for her strained family ties.

Reports also indicate Prince William and Prince Harry have not spoken in over two years, with the duke's calls going unanswered.

A royal expert has suggested that William's hesitations about his sister-in-law and his "mistrust" of her remain the biggest stumbling block to any reunion with his younger brother, Harry.

According to reports, the Prince of Wales has not spoken to Harry in more than two years, with their fractured relationship further strained by the Sussexes' media projects, from the bombshell memoir and televised interviews to their Netflix documentary.

Royal commentator Ingrid Seward told Fox News that the trust between the brothers has eroded deeply, with William particularly reluctant to reestablish contact.

"The flea in the ointment really is very much Meghan," Seward explained. "She's disliked intensely by a large number of the monarchists of this country. They see her as being very… damaging to the royal family."

She further noted that this perception isn't limited to the UK. "I think a lot of people in America feel the same," Seward said. "They don't like that Meghan [reportedly] dissed her husband's family and dissed her own family."

Seward, who wrote "My Mother and I," also pointed to Meghan's strained ties with her father, Thomas Markle Sr., as another factor shaping public opinion.

The father and daughter's relationship soured ahead of Meghan's 2018 wedding to Harry, and grew worse after Thomas Sr. suffered a stroke in 2022. He has yet to meet his grandchildren.

"It's just extraordinary to think that her children have not met their grandfather," Seward said. "I think people in the States find that extremely odd, and [we] find it very odd here. And I think that's a real black mark against Meghan's character. I think she hasn't been able to embrace… her own family, however much she feels about them. I mean, Harry's never even met her father, which is extraordinary."

She acknowledged, however, that "there are a lot of difficult emotions [to] get over there." The comments follow reports from People Magazine suggesting that William and Harry remain firmly on "separate paths."

Historian Robert Lacey, author of "Battle of Brothers," told the news outlet the estrangement runs deep.

He said, "The rift is very profound and very long-lasting. It will not be changed, in my opinion, until Harry makes a move and apologizes."

According to the report, Harry's attempts to reach out through calls and messages have gone unanswered by William.

Seward added that William has deliberately kept his distance from the Sussexes, while Harry reportedly feels his brother was "unpleasant" to Meghan during her time within the royal family.

"Harry thinks that William insulted Meghan," Seward explained. "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."

Meanwhile, Harry reportedly extended an olive branch to William and King Charles last month by sharing his official schedule with the royal household.

According to the Daily Mail, the move was intended to prevent "conflicts of interest or clashes of publicity," with insiders suggesting the duke is now focused on "deconflicting" with his family.

The gesture followed comments Harry made during a May interview with BBC News, where he expressed his desire for reconciliation despite lingering tensions.

"I would love reconciliation with my family," he said, while admitting that the many "disagreements and differences" between them may never be fully forgiven.

Harry acknowledged that "some members" of the royal family will "never forgive" him for certain actions, particularly his decision to publish a memoir.

Still, he stressed that he does not want the rift to continue indefinitely. "There's no point in continuing to fight," he said. "Life is precious."

Reflecting on his father's February 2024 cancer diagnosis, Harry added that he does not know "how much longer" Charles has left, making the need for reconciliation even more pressing.

Yet, according to the duke, efforts to reconnect have been hindered. "He won't speak to me because of this security stuff," Harry claimed, "but it would be nice to reconcile."