William and Kate will be laughing at Harry – never on their watch | Royal | News

It doesn’t take an expert to see that Prince Harry’s trip to England descended into chaos just days after he crossed the pond alone. The Duke of Sussex was evasive about whether he would bring Meghan Markle and their two children with him ahead of the visit, leading to great confusion over accommodation details.

Harry is understood to have turned down an offer to stay at Buckingham Palace with his wife and children, but a few hours later he made a U-turn and asked to spend the night there alone. She was later rejected on the grounds that King Charles had accepted her offer too late and amid fears that the legal case she lost this week against the Daily Mail could jeopardize the monarch’s constitutional position.

While Charles is likely conflicted about the situation due to his frustration with his son struggling with his desire to be reunited with Archie, 7, and Lilibet, 5, the two members of the Royal Family think they are probably right in their suspicions about the second most maligned member of the Firm.

There doesn’t seem to be much love lost between Harry and the Prince and Princess of Wales following explosive arguments between the brothers and revelations in their memoirs about Kate’s hostility towards Meghan.

It’s no wonder, then, that commentator and author Richard Fitzwilliams is “doubtful that they supported the offer of accommodation to the royal in the first place”.

William’s behind-the-scenes approach to Harry is reportedly much harsher than his father’s, viewing his brother’s decision to leave the band as a permanent reset rather than a temporary departure.

After stepping down as senior working figures, the duke and duchess immediately began to distance themselves from the Royal Family, before trying to rebuild bridges as their trademark began to falter.

It is unlikely that William’s vision of a weakened monarchy would make room for him even as a temporary guest on the royal estate; Likewise, the future King is thought to have planned to completely exclude his uncle Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor after inheriting the crown.

It would be one thing for Harry to flounder and not commit to accepting or rejecting the offer of accommodation. But the entire visit was covered up by wild and contradictory media briefings that smacked of, as Mr Fitzwilliams rightly said, “insincerity”.

“I don’t see any other members of the Royal Family supporting them,” he told this newspaper. “The trip turned into a complete mess.”

William seems decidedly unimpressed by his brother’s much-publicised arrival in Britain, as Harry made his first public outing, bowling with schoolchildren in West London.

The Prince of Wales, who is not expected to see Harry at any point during his five-day trip, joked with young athletes about the hot weather on Tuesday and talked about the importance of teamwork.

In some ways, the Royal Family is the symbol of teamwork. Each working member operates as a structured unit, maintains rank, and performs public duties without complaining or throwing each other under the bus.

Harry has expressed his disdain for this historic model on many occasions, but his anger at being denied a room in the Palace shows he still believes he can enjoy the benefits of the royal family without too much effort.

It’s no surprise that William doesn’t support this, and it now seems more likely than ever that he might be reluctant towards his brother, with whom he is said to be no longer on good terms.

Harry should be grateful for his father’s sympathy; he won’t always have the luxury of turning down an invitation.