As summer draws to a close, the royal family – including King Charles and Queen Camilla, and Prince William and Kate Middleton – have been enjoying their annual stay at Balmoral. But while it may be a traditional yearly retreat in the Scottish Highlands, we’re told that this year, important talks have been taking place behind the scenes that could have a huge impact on the monarchy’s future.
‘On the surface, it looks like a normal family holiday, but in reality, there are huge decisions being made that could change the family forever,’ our source reveals. ‘The plan was for senior royals – the King, Queen, William and Kate, plus a handful of trusted advisers – to meet in private away from the wider family. William feels the monarchy has to move forward with a smaller, tighter unit. He believes that means phasing out Harry and Meghan completely and stripping away their last traces of royal privilege, including their HRH titles and their children’s titles.’
The insider continues, ‘Kate adores her husband and supports his vision, but she’s torn. She’s always been the peacemaker and doesn’t want William’s decisions to burn bridges with Harry forever. She worries William might regret going too far. Kate’s instincts are to protect relationships and leave a door open. But she’s realistic, too. If the decision is to cut Harry out completely, she knows there’s no coming back from that.’
Harry, 40, and Meghan, 44, kept their Duke and Duchess of Sussex titles after stepping away from royal duties in 2020, and while they officially retained their HRH (His or Her Royal Highness) titles, they agreed not to use them. Their children, Archie, six, and Lilibet, four – whose surnames were formerly Mountbatten-Windsor – were honoured with royal titles when Charles became King in September 2022. They are now officially known as the Prince and Princess of Sussex. Harry is said to want them to keep their HRH titles, so they can decide themselves whether to become working royals when they’re older.
While future king William, 43, is said to be demanding a ‘slimmed-down’ monarchy, Kate – who Harry once described as ‘the sister he never had’ – is said to be ‘deeply emotional’ about the direction of the talks and is worried about how Harry will take the proposed changes.
The brothers’ relationship is said to be non-existent after years of tension. ‘For William, the summit is about the monarchy’s survival. He wants to slim down the institution, focusing on his family and the next generation,’ the insider says. ‘He sees a future where it’s him, Kate, their kids, and a handful of working royals. Harry and Meghan just don’t fit into that vision anymore.’
While we’re told Kate agrees with William’s thoughts on the monarchy’s long-term health, it appears as if she worries these decisions may seem unforgivable to Harry. ‘Kate’s spent years trying to keep communication open with Harry, and this could shut the door forever,’ our palace insider shares. ‘She worries about Harry and can’t help feeling a real pang of sadness. No matter how fractured things have become, he’s still William’s brother. Harry already hates that his kids are excluded, especially from Balmoral. It’s another wedge between them and the wider family.
‘Kate knows that if titles are removed, Harry will take it as nothing less than a direct attack on him and his family. There’s no way he’d see it as anything other than a humiliation. If that decision is made, ties will be severed.’
Despite saying he’d ‘love a reconciliation’ with his family, Harry has said he has no plans to bring his children to visit his home country due to security fears – something that Meghan is very much on board with. Our source adds, ‘Meghan has made it clear she doesn’t want to return to the UK and play happy families. But while Harry thinks bridges should be built, Meghan feels that too much damage has been done. She is standing firm on this.’