Prince William warned 2026 could be point of no return with Prince Harry

Prince William has been warned that the rift with Prince Harry could reach a decisive breaking point in 2026.

The coming year may determine whether the brothers ever truly reconcile.

According to royal watchers and commentators, the prolonged silence between the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex has hardened into something far more permanent, with time now working against them rather than in their favour. 

Moments that might once have offered opportunities for quiet repair have instead passed without contact, deepening the sense of finality around their estrangement.

The last occasion on which the brothers were believed to be in the same place was in August 2024, when both attended the funeral of their maternal uncle, Lord Robert Fellowes, in Norfolk.

Despite the deeply personal nature of the event, they reportedly did not speak, sit together, or acknowledge one another.

Before that, their most recent shared appearance came at King Charles’s coronation in May 2023, where any exchanges were minimal and strictly formal. 

Since then, there have been no public signs of reconciliation, nor credible reports of private communication behind palace walls.

The strain between the brothers stretches back years, intensifying after Harry stepped away from royal life in 2020 and accelerating following his televised interviews and the publication of Spare. 

With 2026 now being described as a potential “point of no return,” observers warn that if no effort is made to reset the relationship, the distance between William and Harry may soon become permanent.