Inside Prince William's Plans to 'Phase Out' Brother Prince Harry and Meghan Markle From The Monarchy When He Succeeds Charles as The King — 'They Just Don't Fit the Vision Anymore'
Will Prince William finally close the book on his brother, Harry, and wife Meghan Markle?
Sept. 4 2025, Published 2:30 p.m. ET
Prince William is planning to keep his younger brother, Prince Harry, and his wife, Meghan Markle, out of the monarchy, according to new insiders, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Harry, 40, is believed to have been trying to do everything in his power to get back on the royal family's good side, but his efforts may not amount to much.
Is William Pushing Harry and Meghan Out?
William is said to be planning to boot Harry and Markle out of the monarchy.
The royal family, including William, his wife Kate Middleton, King Charles, and Queen Camilla, is set to go on their annual trip to Balmoral; however, it may not be a relaxing getaway, as sources claim talks have been occurring behind the scenes that could have a major 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," an insider claimed. "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."
Kate's Not Happy?
Harry and Markle abandoned their royal duties in 2020.
However, the source claimed Middleton, 43, may not be on board fully.
"Kate adores her husband and supports his vision, but she's torn," the insider explained. "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."
And while future king William, 43, is said to want a "slimmed-down" monarchy, Middleton is "deeply emotional" about how everything will unfold, and concerned about how Harry will react to his older brother's demands, the source claimed.
An Unforgivable Decision?
Kate Middleton is not completely on board with William's plan, according to insiders.
"For William, the summit is about the monarchy's survival," the insider explained. "He wants to slim down the institution, focusing on his family and the next generation. 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."
According to the source, Middleton is afraid Harry, who stepped away from his royal duties and moved to Los Angeles with Markle, 44, in 2020, may never forgive William if he goes forward with his plans.
The insider claimed: "Kate’s spent years trying to keep communication open with Harry, and this could shut the door forever. 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."
One Last Shot At Reconciliation?
Harry is said to be making one last-ditch effort to save his place in the royal family.
The source added: "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."
Meanwhile, Harry's trip to London for the WellChild Awards on September 8 may see him cross paths with his family; at least that is what he hopes for in a last-ditch effort to reconcile.
A previous insider said: "Harry’s team is pushing for an answer, but Palace insiders stress that diaries are 'tight' due to the family's gathering at Balmoral, and there is nervousness about what Harry might expect.
"There's no appetite for confrontation. But equally, they know Harry is determined – and that makes things tricky."
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Following Harry and Markle's move, they appeared on a tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey, where the former Suits star claimed there were "concerns and conversations" about how dark their son Archie's skin might be when he was born, referring to how she was of mixed race.
And in Harry's memoir, Spare, he alleged a physical altercation with his brother during an argument about Markle. He also wrote Camilla "sacrificed me on her personal PR altar" and called her "dangerous."
