“William and Harry will want their children to know their cousins and do things together, so they will work harder at their relationship,” a source close to the royal household tells PEOPLE in this week’s issue. “The brothers will have a different kind of relationship and move on.”
Despite the royal brothers’ very different roles – with William, a father of three, gearing up to be next in line to the throne and Harry adjusting to life as a newlywed while championing causes close to his heart – longtime palace staffers had the “homogenous idea” of the two princes working in tandem. However, it became clear that with their growing families, a united foursome wasn’t feasible. They split their offices, withMeghan Markleand Harry even launching their own separate Instagram page, in a move many called a natural progression.
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“It was only going to work until they married — and it went on a while longer than perhaps was originally thought,” one palace courtier previously told PEOPLE.
“It’s a shame,” added a household source. “There was power in that unity and great strength in the foursome, but I see why it is happening. There is always that tension: trying to do the PR thing and then realizing that they are just real people. They want their own place and their own things.”
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Still, William andKate Middletonhaveshared their excitementover Harry and Meghan expanding their family.
William said he was “absolutely thrilled” about the birth of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s son during an outing to announce a newcharity sailing racejust one day after Archie’s birth.
The father of three added, “I’m very pleased and glad towelcome my brother to the sleep deprivation societythat is parenting!”
William and Kate wereset to meet Archie for the first timeon Tuesday, eight days after his birth.
Meghan Markle, Prince Harry and Archie.Press Association via AP
There may be a divide between the royal brothers, but they’re still family.
“There is never any doubt thatthey will be there for each other 100 percentand support each other when it matters,” an insider previously told PEOPLE.
Added a source close to the royal household, “Maybe they’ll come back together a little later. It’s another stage in the growing up. Sometimes you have to break away in order to come back.”
source: people.com
