Prince William and the Princess of Wales made no public comment following the announcement that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are to return to the UK, a silence royal commentators have interpreted as evidence of the heir's fury rather than indifference. Former BBC royal correspondent Peter Hunt suggested William would be "apoplectic" at the move, warning it raises the prospect of two rival royal courts and could make it harder for him to avoid a reconciliation with his brother while their father, King Charles, remains on the throne.

The brothers, once part of the so-called "Fab Four" with their wives, have been estranged since well before Harry's 2018 wedding, with the rift deepening through the 2020 "Megxit" split and a string of public allegations in Harry's Netflix documentary and memoir Spare, including claims about a physical altercation and disputes over Meghan's treatment by the family. William and Harry have not appeared together in public since King Charles's coronation in 2023, and commentators say Harry's return could allow him to strengthen ties with his father even as tensions with William persist.