Ingrid Seward, a royal writer, told the Mirror’s Pod Save The Queen podcast she feared the two would “never” make up. Reports of a ‘rift’ between the two Dukes have frequently emerged this year following Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s decision to step down as senior royals and move to the US.
Indeed, royal author Robert Lacey has claimed “love versus duty” has been “fundamental” to the brothers’ relationship woes.
The expert said Prince Charles could help reconcile them, telling Us Weekly: “He hasn’t come into the picture so far as we know so far, but that is one possible channel for reconciliation.
“I’d rather hope that behind the scenes, Charles is at work mending the fences and building the bridges.”
However, Ms Seward told Pod Save the Queen: “I rather doubt that they will ever get back to how they used to be. I really don’t think so. I think that’s probably a broken relationship.
“If there was an awful tragedy it would bring them together, but otherwise I don’t think that relationship will be mended.
She conceded it was her “personal point of view and I might not be right”.
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Mr Scobie added: “I think really where it went wrong for Harry and Meghan and the Cambridges was that decision to go public with the road map to their new working model.”
He said this did not sit well with Prince William, who “felt that damaged the reputation of the family.”
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex now live in California with one-year-old son Archie.
Their current multi-million dollar mansion is based in the region of Santa Barbara, though they initially stayed for a time in Los Angeles.
There has been speculation in recent weeks that the Duke and Duchess could return to the UK for Christmas.
It follows a claim by that royal aides had been told to prepare the couple’s Frogmore Cottage royal residence for the possibility of Prince Harry’s arrival.
However, Vanity Fair reported afterwards that Harry and Meghan would “certainly” not be returning to the UK before Christmas, citing anonymous sources close to the couple.
The source added: “The problem is if he comes over then he has to quarantine and that makes things quite difficult.”
Sources do say, however, that the Sussexes could return to the UK after Christmas for their legal case against the Mail on Sunday newspaper.
The trial, over a breach of copyright, is due to begin on January 11 next year.
