Prince Harry Would \201cLove to Reconnect\201d with Princess Kate—But Royal Biographer Says Prince William Won’t Have It

\201cHarry was hit hard by the news of her cancer diagnosis,\201d according to Christopher Andersen.

Prince William, Kate Middleton, and Prince Harry
(Image credit: Getty Images)

For Prince Harry, the Princess of Wales was less of a sister-in-law and more, according to multiple accounts, of the sister he never had. As the chasm widened between Harry and his older brother, Prince William—who, on the 1 percent chance you’re not aware, is the Prince of Wales and has been married to Kate since 2011—the gulf between Harry and Kate unfortunately did, as well. And, in addition to the emotional distance between the two, the geographical distance factors in, as well, after Harry moved to the U.S. in 2020 with his wife, Meghan Markle, as they stepped away from their roles as working members of the royal family.

Editorial Images The Patron's Lunch To Celebrate The Queen's 90th Birthday

This trio was once representative of the future of the royal family.

(Image credit: Photo by Jeff Spicer / Getty)

Harry all but immediately hopped on a plane bound for the U.K. within hours of his father, King Charles, announcing his cancer diagnosis in February; after Kate did the same in a brave video message on March 22, it’s unclear how much Harry has spoken with her, and seems abundantly clear that he hasn’t seen her face-to-face, as his first visit back to the U.K. since her March announcement was last week, and Harry isn’t thought to have seen his father, brother, or sister-in-law while in London.

“Harry would love to reconnect with Kate,” royal biographer Christopher Andersen told Fox News Digital (and per The Mirror). “They were once extremely close, and Harry was hit hard by the news of her cancer diagnosis, which he learned about just the way the rest of us did, via Kate’s shocking video.” 

Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince Harry

Andersen said Harry would love to reconnect with Kate, especially in light of her recent cancer diagnosis, but William isn't interested in that.

(Image credit: Getty)

In terms of a reconciliation attempt, Andersen added “Unfortunately, it doesn’t appear William is willing to let his brother anywhere near his ailing wife,” he said. “There was just too much drama between the brothers and their wives, and there is lingering bitterness on everyone’s part. So, the chances of even a meeting between Harry and the rest of the royal family—much less some sort of reconciliation—seem extremely slim.”

After Kate announced her diagnosis, Harry and Meghan released a statement, saying “We wish health and healing for Kate and the family, and hope they are able to do so privately and in peace.”

Prince William, Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle, Prince Harry

Harry and Meghan released a statement after Kate's diagnosis was revealed on March 22.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

“There’s a deep rift between the brothers—that we know,” royal commenter Richard Fitzwilliams told The Sun. “We also know that they haven’t apparently spoken in many months, and the reason, of course, is that for some four years, they’ve caused endless problems to the royal family, and so they can’t be trusted.”

Fitzwilliams said that William’s trust has been broken since the couple’s bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey in March 2021, and was only further exacerbated by the couple’s Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan (released in December 2022) and Harry’s memoir, Spare, which came out the following month. “The trouble is, that’s the only thing that appears to have made a lot of money for them,” Fitzwilliams said about projects pertaining to the royal family. “That raises other questions as to what they’ll be doing in the future.” 

Prince Harry, Kate Middleton

Harry and Kate apparently have "a special bond that not many people understand."

(Image credit: Getty)

To Harry and Kate’s relationship, a source said, per OK, “Everyone assumes Kate doesn’t like Harry, but they have a special bond that not many people understand,” they said. “She and Harry were extremely close at one time. She’s confided in him during some of her darkest moments.”

Rachel Burchfield
Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor

Rachel Burchfield is a writer, editor, and podcaster whose primary interests are fashion and beauty, society and culture, and, most especially, the British Royal Family and other royal families around the world. She serves as Marie Claire’s Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor and has also contributed to publications like Allure, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, People, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and W, among others. Before taking on her current role with Marie Claire, Rachel served as its Weekend Editor and later Royals Editor. She is the cohost of Podcast Royal, a show that was named a top five royal podcast by The New York Times. A voracious reader and lover of books, Rachel also hosts I’d Rather Be Reading, which spotlights the best current nonfiction books hitting the market and interviews the authors of them. Rachel frequently appears as a media commentator, and she or her work has appeared on outlets like NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN, and more. 

Read more
Prince William wearing a red military uniform with medals turning to look at Kate Middleton who is wearing a big white hat and white dress with a navy bow and smiling
Kate Middleton and Prince William's Relationship Has Become "More Open" After Her Cancer Battle
Prince William and Prince Harry wear tuxedos
Former Royal Aide Says It's Been "Hard and Sad" to Witness Prince William and Prince Harry's Alleged Rift
Kate Middleton wearing a red coat and hat walking next to Prince WIlliam wearing a blue suit
Prince William and Princess Kate Have Been Living in a "Nightmare" For Last 5 Years, Per Royal Expert
Duchess Sophie joins Prince William, King Charles, and Prince Harry on the Buckingham Palace balcony for the Queen Mother's 100th birthday celebrations
Duchess Sophie "Never Got Overly Involved" in Prince Harry and Prince William's Relationship, But She Was a "Peacekeeper"
Kate Middleton has long, wavy brunette hair and wears a bright yellow dress with puffy sleeves
Kate Middleton Kept Her Cancer Diagnosis Secret for So Long Because She "Hadn't Told" George, Charlotte, and Louis Yet
Pippa and Kate Middleton smile and both have long brown hair as they attend Wimbledon in 2012
Kate Middleton and Her Siblings Reunited Over the Holidays so Their Children Could "Spend Time Together"
Latest in Royals
Princess Madeleine of Sweden wearing a tiara featuring emeralds
Why Princess Madeleine of Sweden Can't Use Her Royal Title to Promote Her New Skincare Line
Queen Camilla has blonde hair and is wearing a dark green shirt dress
Why Queen Camilla Has Been Issued a "Strict" Warning Regarding Her Meeting With the Pope
Meghan Markle wears blue denim jeans
Meghan Markle Confirms Skinny Jeans Are Back by Finally Revealing Her Favorite Frame Denim
Carole Middleton has blonde hair and laughs while shopping with daughter Kate Middleton
How Carole Middleton Might Step Up to Support Princess Kate Following Previous Controversies
Meghan Markle wears a white shirt and blue jeans while she carries daughter Princess Lilibet and hugs son Prince Archie
New Prince Archie Photo Proves He Takes After Dad Prince Harry in Two Very Important Ways
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry attend the closing ceremony of the Invictus Games Düsseldorf 2023 at Merkur Spiel-Arena on September 16, 2023 in Duesseldorf, Germany.
Meghan Markle Shared a Rare Video Filmed by Prince Harry on Instagram
Latest in News
Selena Gomez wears a cropped blazer and matching trousers while attending the Drew Barrymore show in New York City
Selena Gomez Is the Cropped Blazer Trend's Final Boss
Princess Madeleine of Sweden wearing a tiara featuring emeralds
Why Princess Madeleine of Sweden Can't Use Her Royal Title to Promote Her New Skincare Line
Rihanna in a head scarf and multiple necklaces
Rihanna’s Jamaica Manicure Will Unite the Caribbean
Queen Camilla has blonde hair and is wearing a dark green shirt dress
Why Queen Camilla Has Been Issued a "Strict" Warning Regarding Her Meeting With the Pope
Benny Blanco in a purple shirt with a white tank top underneath and Selena Gomez in a black dress backstage at The Tonight Show in March 2025
Selena Gomez Says She’s "Excited" to Become a Mom Someday in Joint Interview with Benny Blanco
Bella Hadid leaves her hotel wearing a cardigan with the studded bag trend and straight-leg jeans
Bella Hadid Carries the Studded Bag Trend Into the Spotlight With a Boho-Chic Valentino Tote