Will Prince Harry and Prince William Reunite at Their Cousin's Wedding?

The brothers last appeared together at a 2024 family memorial, but did not interact

NEED TO KNOW

• Prince William and Prince Harry may both be invited to an upcoming royal wedding amid their years-long rift
• The princes' cousin, Peter Philips, announced his engagement to Harriet Sperling last week
• The couple has yet to officially announce a date, but there's already speculation about the guest list

It's possible the brothers will both soon receive an invite to the wedding of their eldest cousin, Peter Philips, to his second wife, Harriet Sperling.

Peter announced his engagement to the pediatric nurse on Aug. 1, sharing that William and wife Kate Middleton, along with King Charles and Queen Camilla, had been informed of the happy news prior to the official royal announcement.

While the couple has yet to set a wedding date, speculation is already swirling over whether both princes will attend amid their ongoing, years-long feud.

As the eldest male grandchildren of the late Queen Elizabeth, Peter, the son of Princess Anne and her first husband, Captain Mark Phillips, grew up close to both William and Harry. But in recent years, tensions between the brothers have strained the royal family dynamic. The last time the three were publicly seen together was at the funeral services for Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip.

Alastair Grant/WPA Pool/Getty Peter Phillips, Prince William and Prince Harry during the Ceremonial Procession during the funeral of Prince Philip at Windsor Castle on April 17, 2021

If only one brother attends, the likely choice is William. Harry’s relationship with the U.K. royal establishment has been fraught since he and Meghan Markle stepped back from official duties in 2020, especially following the government’s decision to end his automatic police protection — a move Harry criticized publicly.

In May, after losing a legal appeal against the decision, Harry told the BBC, “I can’t see a world in which I would be bringing my wife and children back to the U.K. at this point.”

However, Harry has attended several important family events alone and has openly expressed his sadness over not being able to be there more often—especially for his children, Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4, to share those moments.

“The things that they’re going to miss is, well, everything,” Harry continued. “I love my country. I always have done. Despite what some people in that country have done.”

This wouldn’t be the first time Prince Harry has missed a wedding involving his brother and other relatives. In June 2024, Harry did not make the trip to northern England for the high-profile wedding of his friend Hugh Grosvenor, the Duke of Westminster, and Olivia Henson.

While Harry was invited, it was understood by all parties that attending would be difficult given the Duke of Sussex's security issues. Prince William, who served as an usher at the ceremony, and cousin Princess Eugenie both attended the event.

Yui Mok - WPA Pool/Getty Images Prince William and Prince Harry at the unveiling of their mother Princess Diana's statue in 2021

A source described the conversation between Harry and Hugh as “an understanding between the two friends,” and an insider close to the couple confirmed that they mutually agreed Harry would not attend. The Duke of Sussex “sends his love and support and admiration for the couple” on their wedding day, the source told PEOPLE.

The last known time William and Harry reunited was in August 2024 at the memorial service for their uncle, Lord Robert Fellowes, held at St. Mary’s Church in Norfolk. However, sources reveal the brothers kept their distance, sitting apart and avoiding interaction throughout the event.

This rare shared appearance underscores the complicated dynamic between the siblings. According to insiders, Harry’s attempts to reach out to William — via texts and calls — often go unanswered. A royal source described the rift as “very bad,” though not “irreparable.”

Despite their ongoing estrangement and limited communication, there were encouraging signs of a potential royal family reconciliation last month, when aides for Harry and King Charles held a private meeting.

It's unclear if William was made aware of the meeting. A friend of the Prince of Wales reportedly told the Daily Mail, "It's no coincidence that William and Catherine did not have a representative at the Royal Over-Seas League," but royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams said, "The King would never have made these moves without William's support and understanding."

In a June piece published by The Sunday Times tied to Prince William's 43rd birthday, a source close to William spoke about his estrangement from his brother.

"What has struck me the most recently is that he just doesn’t mention it at all," the friend said. "It used to be that the family stuff was taking up a lot of space in his head; it was a very close relationship, and he was very upset."

"But he’s not letting it get to him at all anymore. It is a change. It’s sad, but it’s a much healthier space for him to be at," the friend continued.

In June, Harry and Meghan missed their third consecutive Trooping the Colour — King Charles' official birthday celebration and one of the royal family's most high-profile annual events — after not receiving a royal invite. They were also not invited to the 2024 royal Christmas gathering at Sandringham, an annual tradition, or the summer gathering at Balmoral.

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It remains to be seen how much Harry's royal rift will affect his cousin's decision to invite him to his wedding. It's also possible that Peter and Harriet will keep their nuptials low-key, as he is not a working royal and it is a second marriage.

Peter was previously married to Autumn Kelly from 2008 to 2021. The former couple share two daughters, Savannah, 14, and Isla, 13.

Harriet is from a prominent English line herself, as she descends from the Courage family, who founded the well-known Courage Brewery, according to the Daily Mail. Hello! reported that she also has a daughter, named Georgia.