Prince William can escape Prince Harry as long as King Charles lives

As King Charles remains at the heart of Prince Harry’s open rebellion, the monarch has had no option but to address and acknowledge his time and again, directly or indirectly. But Prince William has done his best to avoid and ice out his brother, going as far as to publicly ignore Harry at their uncle, Lord Robert Fellowes’ funeral in 2024, where the duo infamously omitted interacting with each other. But this tactic is neither foolproof nor permanent.

It all rests on how long the king lives.

No, I am not hinting at William forgiving his brother. While many are still holding out hope that reconciliation is still on the table for the estranged royals, it is becoming obvious that the ship has long sailed. And yet, the king’s death will bring Harry right back where William doesn’t want him – in his life and in the palace.

Call it Charles still harboring a soft corner for his youngest or simply not wanting to break tradition, but reportedly, despite all that has gone down between him and his son, despite all the bitterness, he wants Harry, Meghan Markle, and their two children to be there at his funeral. As per the Telegraph, the monarch is “adamant that his youngest son take his rightful place at the centre of his family.”

Now, as per the palace’s occasional updates, Charles is doing well under his cancer treatment. But planning his funeral – no matter how morbid it sounds – is part of the Royal procedure, not a sign of any bad news. It is a policy followed for the Royals, even William’s funeral plans are already in place. What is new is Charles’ refusal to eject Harry from his.

As reported by the publication, “the Sussexes remain enveloped in the King’s funeral plans at the highest level, with the Duke expected to walk side by side with his brother, by then the King, at the forefront of the sombre processions through the streets of central London.”

“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be invited to take part in the family vigil during the lying in state at Westminster Hall and play a prominent role alongside the most senior royals during the funeral service.”

Their presence won’t just be arranged for the sake of appearance. Apparently, they will be attending all the public ceremonies as well as be present at “behind the scenes in briefings and rehearsals.” It will be nothing like the Queen’s funeral, where the mawing divide between Harry and his family was painfully evident, or be a repeat of his father’s coronation, where Harry skipped every event post the main ceremony and left for the airport.

Charles allegedly wants to make things right now by placing “the Sussexes at the heart of his funeral” to reunite his family.

But what about William? Is he on the same page – ready to respect his father’s final act as a king and a father? If the reports of the increasingly mutinous relationship between the brothers are even remotely true, convincing William – who would be waiting to be coronated when the time comes – might not appreciate his late father’s decision.