NEED TO KNOW
- The Sussexes recent, “quasi-royal” outing in Nottingham has raised eyebrows.
- Harry and Meghan were greeted warmly by fans in the city – but Prince William was reportedly not happy.
- King Charles has made it clear that Harry and Meghan are “private citizens and non-working royals.”
- But the couple seemed to ignore that edict, and William would like to take decisive action.
Ever since the Duke and Duchess of Sussex returned to the UK, the Prince of Wales has revealed nothing – publicly – regarding how he feels about the unexpected homecoming.
But, New Idea hears, behind the palace doors it is a completely different story.
“Prince William is seething,” our royal insider spills.
That simmering anger was dialled up to a whole other level, however, when Prince Harry and Meghan undertook their quasi-royal walkabout in Nottingham on October 15.
“William could not believe what he was seeing,” our source says. “It was the final straw for him.”
King Charles decisively pointed out that the Sussexes are “non-working royals and private citizens” in a letter widely distributed in September.
Yet Harry, 42, and Meghan, 45, ignored the notification and opted to visit a local food bank in the city and the Community Recording Studio, a facility that supports young people affected by violence.
“It couldn’t have looked more like an official royal duty if it tried,” our source continues.
“It was as if they’d totally ignored Charles’ letter. William is furious about it.”
So much so that, should Harry and Meghan push things further, for example, by seeking an audience with senior royals at Buckingham Palace or Windsor, or attending a larger-scale royal gathering like the Remembrance Day service in November, William might take drastic measures.
“He would have little hesitation in doing everything in his power to block them,” our source says.
“He’s so angry, if he could kick them out of the country right now, he would.”
While it hasn’t quite come to that – yet – “there are now intense meetings being held between William and the King’s advisers on how to avoid Harry and Meghan gatecrashing other events or clashing with senior royals’ events,” our source says.
“Upstaging any other senior royal, by having an event on the same day, is very much not the done thing. Royal diary clashes are avoided at all costs, but Harry and Meghan totally ignored that rule with their Nottingham stunt.”
At the same time that the Sussexes were in Nottingham, the King and Queen Camilla were attending the ceremonial opening of the Welsh Parliament in Cardiff.
“Harry really should have known better than to upstage his father,” our source adds. “But he and Meghan went ahead anyway.”
But if William, 44, thinks he can stamp his foot and make the Sussex “problem” go away, he’s “very much mistaken”, our source adds.
“Harry’s not going to be pushed around by his brother. He’s determined to make a go of his life in the UK – and Meghan is on board,” our source says.
“If it comes to a stand-off, Harry is up for it.”
Hopefully things won’t escalate to that point, though.
“Behind the scenes, Charles will be doing all he can to calm William down and let him deal with the Sussexes in his own way.”
Whether William, who’s known to have a hot temper, has the patience to wait remains to be seen.
“For now, he has to toe the line, but if Harry and Meghan continue to go rogue, William will have no hesitation in confronting Charles about them – sooner rather than later.”
As for a reconciliation between the estranged brothers, our source insists “it’s not going to happen.”
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