Behind the scenes at the Princess of Wales’ glittering Together at Christmas carol concert earlier this month, New Idea has learnt the royal was nursing a secret heartache.
“Kate’s mortified that a disagreement with the Prince of Wales over the Duke of Sussex has leaked,” our source explains.
Earlier this month, well-connected Vanity Fair royal reporter Katie Nicholl said during a podcast interview she had learnt Kate, 42, “is open to a reconciliation [with Prince Harry]” because “when you go through something like a cancer diagnosis … you realise … life is too short for rifts and family feuds.”
But Katie also went on to say that the famously stubborn Prince William “is still likely to feel very angry and betrayed [by Harry].”
New Idea’s source confirms it’s no secret that Kate is more open to offering Harry an olive branch than her husband.
“Despite all the barbs Harry’s thrown at the royal family – and hurtfully, at Kate especially – since exiting the royal family and releasing his tell-all memoir, Spare, Kate does want peace between the brothers because she knows there’s no time for long-held grudges,” the insider says.
Our source adds that she also aches to be a part of Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet’s lives, especially because her own children, Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, nine and Prince Louis, six, have spent very little if any, time with their US-based cousins.
“Family is everything to Kate – this breaks her heart.”
Even if her cancer diagnosis has hastened Kate’s desire for William and Harry to make amends, the idea hasn’t come out of the blue.
After Prince Philip’s funeral service in 2021, Kate famously hung back as she and William exited St George’s Chapel so that William could fall in step with his brother and talk in private.
Kate’s letter, inviting guests to the Together at Christmas service, also contained a subtle outreach to Harry. Her personal note stated that the Christmas spirit is all about “kindness and forgiveness” – and that “we all need each other in spite of our differences”.
“Kate was definitely signalling to Harry that the door to reconciliation is unlocked with those specific words,” our source says.
News of Kate and William’s disagreement over Harry broke in The Sun newspaper on December 5 – the day before Kate’s Christmas event.
And while she seemed to be in good spirits during the evening, especially when greeting some of the 1600 guests or carolling with her excited children, one onlooker told New Idea she also seemed “a little preoccupied and distracted at times”.
Our source shares that Kate and William know the Harry issue will require careful handling in 2025 – and despite their current disagreement over the issue, they know they need to “stick together” and shut down any talk of a rift.
“After nearly 14 years of marriage, Kate and William have a deep love and connection to each other – and a loyal attachment,” our source says.
This spat is a hiccup in their relationship, but one they’ll work through together. It would take a lot more than a minor disagreement over Harry to tear them apart.”
