Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are facing renewed pressure to say sorry to Prince William and Kate Middleton. The call comes from a royal expert who says a real apology could help the couple’s standing in Britain — but only if it is honest and not just a move to win public approval. The fresh push arrives while questions grow over how long the Sussexes will stay in the UK after their August 2026 return.
Where the new apology call comes from
The pressure started on the Friday, November 6 episode of the Daily Mail’s Palace Confidential podcast. Diary editor Richard Eden said the couple could improve how the British public sees them by saying sorry to the Royal Family, and to William and Kate in particular.
“What they could do that would boost their popularity would be a genuine apology to the Royal Family and particularly to William and Kate, for the hurt they have caused.”
Eden also stressed that the apology would need to feel real. A statement that looks like a calculated attempt to win favour would not carry the same weight. Recent polls cited on the same podcast place the Prince and Princess of Wales as the most popular royals, while Harry and Meghan’s popularity has dropped.
What an apology would actually cover
The “hurt” Eden refers to is tied to the couple’s public comments about the Royal Family over the past several years. The 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey sits at the centre of that history. Harry’s 2023 memoir Spare added more claims about William, Kate, and other family members, and those claims are still part of the unresolved tension.
Insiders have previously said that reconciliation with the Waleses was part of the Sussexes’ plans for their future in Britain.
“They want to focus on the future, and are hoping that will include a reconciliation at some point.”
The same source claimed the couple wanted a chance to talk through their past comments face to face, and said “Meghan will apologize”. Those claims were later pushed back by people close to the couple, who called them “nonsense”.
Not everyone thinks an apology is needed
The apology question has two clear sides, and the other side is just as firm. Royal commentator Meredith Constant told Fox News Digital that Harry and Meghan have no reason to say sorry. She pointed to the 2021 Oprah interview itself, saying the couple mostly spoke well of William and Kate.
“Harry and Meghan overwhelmingly say positive things about William and Kate. Meghan calls Kate a ‘good person’ and admires how she handled the pre-wedding situation when she hurt Meghan’s feelings.”
Constant argued that the couple’s real complaints were about a lack of support from the monarchy and what she called an invisible contract with the UK press. She also said William, as the future king, should take the first step toward peace.
“Reconciliation requires accountability. And how can William or Kate take accountability for a problem that they, and the rest of the royal family, wouldn’t even acknowledge exists?”
Kate’s side of the story
Reports from late October 2026 said Kate Middleton had made her own position clear. Sources told Heat World that the Princess of Wales wants a “proper apology” from Harry — one that covers William, herself, and Queen Camilla — for the claims made in Spare.
“If Harry truly regrets what he wrote and what he and Meghan said, then they will apologise to all of them, not just whoever he needs the most help from.”
The same insiders said Kate is aware that King Charles wants peace with Harry and has tried to stay open to that. But in her view, peace cannot start until she and William receive a full apology. A source close to the Sussexes responded to those reports by saying any suggestion they owe Kate, William, Camilla, or the King an apology is “totally wrong”.
“They’re not going to apologise, they have absolutely nothing to say sorry for. If anything they still deserve an apology for the way they were treated.”
A brotherhood that has learned to live apart
Royal author Christopher Andersen, who wrote the book Kate!, told Fox News Digital that reconciliation between the brothers is not in the cards. His view is blunt: neither man believes he owes the other an apology.
“Harry has never believed he has anything to apologise for. William had never believed he had anything to apologise for. Reconciliation is not in the cards.”
Andersen said William sees Harry’s actions as a betrayal not just of the family but of the monarchy itself. He added that Harry’s return to the UK in August 2026 “rubbed salt into an already festering wound”.
“These are two extraordinarily strong and stubborn men who have, sadly, learned over the past few years that they can live without each other.”
Broadcaster Helena Chard also said William is unlikely to forgive his brother. She noted that William once saw Harry as a supportive wingman as he prepared for his future role as king, and that the stress of the past few years is “impossible to forgive”.
The UK return that started the latest chapter
Harry and Meghan moved back to the United Kingdom in August 2026 with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. The move came six years after the couple stepped back from senior royal duties and left for the United States. Harry had spoken publicly about wanting to reconcile with his father, King Charles, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2024.
The return did not mean a return to royal roles. Reports at the time said the couple would live in Britain but would not resume duties as working members of the Royal Family. The move put the Sussexes physically closer to the family than they had been in years, but it did not resolve the personal divide between the brothers.
How long will the Sussexes stay?
Former Queen Elizabeth II press secretary Dickie Arbiter has said he does not see the couple staying in Britain for long. Speaking on the Sun’s Royal Exclusive show, Arbiter pointed to a few likely reasons for a future departure.
“I can’t see them staying for any length of time. I see them staying until after August 31 next year for the 30th anniversary of the death of Diana, the Princess of Wales. The kids will have finished their first full year at school, and they’ll probably think it’s time to move on. And the Invictus Games are in July.”
The Invictus Games are scheduled for July 2027 in Birmingham. The 30th anniversary of Princess Diana’s death falls on August 31, 2027. Security is another factor. Since stepping back from royal duties in 2020, Harry and Meghan have paid for their own private protection, with the yearly cost estimated at up to £12 million. Their children previously had to leave their first UK school because of security concerns, though Harry has said they are now settled in a new school.
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What each side is saying about the apology
The public positions are clear and they do not match.
Richard Eden’s position: a genuine apology to William and Kate, and to the Royal Family, would help the Sussexes’ popularity — but it must be sincere, not a publicity move.
Kate Middleton’s reported position: a proper apology must cover William, Kate, and Queen Camilla for the claims in Spare, and it has not happened yet.
The Sussexes’ reported position: they have nothing to apologize for, and any suggestion that they owe Kate, William, Camilla, or the King an apology is wrong.
Meredith Constant’s position: Harry and Meghan have no reason to apologize, and William should lead the way toward reconciliation as the future king.
Christopher Andersen’s position: neither brother believes he owes an apology, and reconciliation is not in the cards.
The apology question is not really about one statement. It is about whether both sides can agree on what happened, who was hurt, and who should say sorry first. Right now, they do not agree on any of those three things.
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