COMING TO AMERICA
Insiders tell Us that Prince William and Duchess Kate are coming to America to meet the newest royal family member — and hopefully mend fences with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Prince William and Duchess Kate are heading to the States later this summer — and sources are hopeful it may finally put an end to their feud with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
During a visit to the Connor Downs Academy with First Lady Jill Biden on June 11, Duchess Kate took a quick break from talking business with education experts to gush over her new niece. “I can’t wait to meet her,” said Kate of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s daughter, Lilibet Diana, who was born on June 4. “We haven’t met her yet,” she added. “I hope that will be soon.”
Kate’s warm enthusiasm may have seemed a bit surprising to royal watchers. After all, she and husband Prince William have been publicly at odds with Harry and Meghan for months. But sources tell Us both couples are finally ready to put the past behind them — and William, 38, and Kate, 39, are even secretly planning a trip to Meghan and Harry’s Montecito, Calif., mansion later this summer! “There’s a shared desire to move on,” says an insider. “William and Kate want to meet Lili, and they agree it’s only fair that they visit Harry and Meghan on their home turf. Plus, they’ve been wanting to see more of America as a family anyway, so this is a real win-win that works for everyone.”
Kate and William’s three kids couldn’t be more excited to see their uncle and his family. (By the time Prince George, 7, Princess Charlotte, 6, and Prince Louis, 3, see Harry, Meghan and Archie, 2, again, it’ll have been about 800 days since they last spent quality time together.) Gushes the insider, “It will be so wonderful for the children to have a chance to play and bond.”
UNDER THE RADAR
Harry is scheduled to travel to the U.K. first for the unveiling of a new Princess Diana statue to mark what would have been her 60th birthday on July 1. While one palace source says Meghan, 39, was hoping to attend alongside her husband, she’s busy adjusting to life at home with two little ones. “She really wants to be there, but it’s looking unlikely,” shares the source. Instead, Harry will go by himself for a quick visit. “He’ll be in and out. He wants to get back to Meghan,” says the source, noting that while the 36-year-old will see William, “they won’t have time to spend much time together.”
Kate and William’s U.S. trip will give everyone a chance to really reconnect. “They’ll stay for about a week,” says the first insider. “There’s ample room at Harry and Meghan’s house and between both families, they’ll have top security teams on hand.” The insider says William and Kate want their American vacation to be as discreet as possible. “There won’t be a lot of fanfare and you won’t see pictures of them building sand castles on the beach in Santa Barbara,” the source explains. “But they’ll be able to see some of the sights, perhaps have dinner somewhere upscale nearby and go hiking in some of Harry and Meghan’s favorite spots.”
CLEARING THE AIR
The foursome is said to be “cautiously optimistic” about the travel plans. “There are of course some nerves after everything that’s happened,” says the insider, pointing out that Kate and Meghan still have some “unresolved business to discuss.” However, “the view is that it will do them a world of good to talk things out in person.” (As Us previously reported, Kate sent Meghan and Harry a gift for Lili as soon as they heard about her birth.)
A third source says William “wants to have a heart-to-heart” with Harry during the getaway — and the insider confirms they’ve both agreed to work through their issues and put family first. “At the end of the day, William and Harry both realize blood is thicker than water,” explains the insider. “It’s not doing anyone any good to be locked in this bitter feud. They’re all committed to finally making peace.”