Prince Harry Reached Out to Estranged Brother William Before U.K. Visit to See Cancer-Stricken Father Charles, Royal Family 'Torment an Open Sore'
Prince Harry was hopeful to reunite with his estranged brother, Prince William, when he jetted over to the United Kingdom to visit their ailing father, King Charles, amid his cancer treatments, but his sibling had other priorities.
"Families are complicated," said a palace insider. "They may be a high-profile family, but they still have a lot of the same issues as everyone else."
A former courtier said the Prince of Wales' "principal concern is his wife" Kate Middleton who is recovering from abdominal surgery and expected to return to public duties sometime after Easter, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Harry spent 24 hours in his home country to spend time with his father, but did not drop in on his brother's family. The Duke of Sussex, himself, said he "loves his family" and was grateful that he was able to visit Charles shortly after learning of his diagnosis.
"It would be the normal run of things to go and see your sister-in-law who's had a serious operation and also see your niece and nephews. But it isn't normal. It's terribly sad," a source close to the royal household told PEOPLE in a new cover story.
"The family torment is an open sore. There is such a profound breach there," Catherine Mayer, author of the biography Charles: The Heart of a King, also shared in the editorial.
Broken trust remains an issue that plagues their once-strong relationship on the heels of Harry's memoir, Spare, and Netflix series featuring Meghan Markle, both of which are claimed to have furthered the divide within the royal family.
"This is all to do with William's wish to protect the institution of the monarchy, which he feels Harry can't be trusted with," royal author Robert Lacey said. "I don't think William will ever agree to readmission of Harry into the family unless he clearly apologizes and moves forward."
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Charles is hopeful that his boys shared with the late Princess Diana reconcile, but he is aware that may be easier said than done. Even so, he remains optimistic.
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The monarch may only have a few years left to live if the cancer spreads to his vital organs, two doctors who did not personally treat the king told RadarOnline.com.
In the new report, royal biographer Ingrid Seward reasoned, "Of course he would like Harry to be the prodigal son and come back and would be much happier if William and Harry were friends again. But he realizes that is just not about to happen."