Prince William avoided brother Harry during UK visit as it's 'too little, too late'

Prince Harry made a swift return back to the UK after King Charles' shocking cancer diagnosis earlier this month, in what looked like a positive step forward for the family. 

As well as showing his support for his father, there was some speculation about whether this would be an opportunity for William and Harry's relationship to thaw, and have their first in-person conversation since the King's Coronation in May 2023. 

However, there appears to be a long road ahead to reconciliation between the brothers, with Prince William reportedly avoiding spending any time with Harry during the trip. 

Prince Harry's trip to the UK was short, lasting just 24 hours. The Duke of Sussex was spotted at London’s Heathrow Airport on Wednesday after arriving the previous day, according to reports from The Sun. 

It's thought that Harry spent 45 minutes with King Charles and no time with his brother William during the trip. And it's now also been implied that Harry was given a rather frosty reception from William, according to recent quotes from a royal source. 

The 'insider' told In Touch Weekly that Prince William deliberately stayed clear of Harry as his visit was "too little, too late". They explained, "William is in no rush to spend time with Harry. The brutal bottom line is that he could easily have seen him but declined because he feels it’s too little, too late."

Before the visit, many were hopeful that Harry's visit marked the beginning of more harmonious relations between Harry and the rest of the Royal Family. 

"That is good," a source close to the royal household told PEOPLE. “Hopefully [Harry] will bring the grandchildren at some point too, as that would be lovely for all of them."

Prince Harry himself discussed how difficult circumstances - such as illness - can bring families together. "Any illness, any sickness, brings families together," Harry said in an interview aired by the ABC network. He then added, "I've got other trips planned that would take me through the UK or back to the UK, so I'll stop and see my family as much as I can."

But if the rumours are to be believed, repairing his relationship with William won't come easily, if at all. 

It's inevitably been a trying time for Prince William, who is not only dealing with his father's diagnosis but is also caring for his wife, Princess Catherine, while she is recovering from abdominal surgery.

In his first public appearance after taking several weeks off, Prince William expressed his gratitude to well-wishers at the London Air Ambulance Charity Gala Dinner on 7th February, 2024. 

"I'd like to take this opportunity to say thank you also for the kind messages of support for Catherine and my father, especially in recent days," he said. "It means a great deal to us all."