Prince Harry’s decision to contact the Prince and Princess of Wales privately in the wake of her cancer diagnosis may have signalled a thaw in fraternal relations.

Such devastating health scares often change perspectives and priorities.

However, if the Duke of Sussex harbours any hopes of reconciling with his brother and sister-in-law during an expected return to the UK in May, he will likely be disappointed.

The Duke of Sussex is hoping to attend a service at St Paul’s Cathedral to mark the tenth anniversary of the Invictus Games.

His travel plans have not yet been confirmed. But having recently lost his legal battle with the Government over his right to automatic police protection, he is unlikely to be joined by the Duchess or their children, Prince Archie, four, and Princess Lilibet, two.

The solo visit could therefore prove an opportune moment to build bridges with his brother, from whom he has been estranged for many months.

But such a development would require will on both sides. And sources close to the Prince and Princess suggest that, with everything else the family is coping with, the “Harry problem” is the very last thing on their minds.

Time and space

They have made abundantly clear to their staff, the wider family and the public that they need time and space to focus on each other and the Princess’s recovery.

The Prince “has always done all he can to protect his family”, a royal source told The Telegraph this weekend. Now, more than ever, he is focused on ensuring her privacy and shielding their children.

The very notion that they would have the mental capacity to face the Duke is roundly rejected by insiders, who note that the couple now have far more significant concerns requiring their full attention.

Trust in the Sussexes has been well and truly shattered. If there was a moment they could envisage letting the Duke back into their inner sanctum, now is not the time.

The Prince currently has the weight of the world on his shoulders.

He, more than anyone, was furious with his brother for the array of barbs and slingshots fired from across the pond in recent years.

The March 2021 Oprah Winfrey interview, in which the Duchess claimed a member of the Royal family had raised “concerns” about their son’s skin tone, was just the beginning.

Accusations and allegations

The claim prompted William to angrily declare: “We are not a racist family.”

Since then, a string of television interviews, the Prince’s memoir, Spare, and a Netflix docuseries have brimmed with accusations and allegations galore, betrayal after betrayal.

The revelation, leaked via a Dutch translation of Omid Scobie’s royal book, Endgame, that both the King and the Princess had commented on the colour of Prince Archie’s skin, was the last straw, reigniting a damaging racism row that the family had hoped was firmly behind them.

Since then, the Duke has indicated that he is ready to make amends.

He wants his father and brother back, he has said, but as “a family, not an institution”.

The Duke is understood to have dropped his demands for an apology for himself and the Duchess, recognising that his attempt to force a reaction had failed.

He has made tentative progress with his father, who of course still loves his younger son and wants him in his life.

Very different character

There have been phone calls, video messages, and even a brief, 30-minute meeting at Clarence House last month after an emotional the Duke insisted on flying over in the wake of Charles’s cancer diagnosis.

But William is a very different character and theirs a very different relationship.

In truth, the Duke’s best chance of reconciling with his brother was always going to be the Princess, once described as the “big sister I never had”.

A natural mediator, it was she who played peacemaker during Prince Philip’s funeral, just weeks after the Oprah interview.

As the family walked back to Windsor Castle from the chapel following the service, the then Duchess of Cambridge was seen chatting to the Duke.

She then appeared to subtly drop back, allowing him to talk to Prince William for a few moments without her.

Those who know the Princess have long suggested that if anyone could bring the brothers back together it would be her.

Petty observations

But she too was devastated by the allegations made by the Duke and Duchess, who suggested she was cold behind the scenes, making petty observations about shared lip balms and bridesmaid dress fittings.

Now, the Princess has far more important matters to contend with. She has asked for space and privacy as she focuses on her recovery and has made it clear that her priority is to shield her children.

Many thousands of miles from friends and family, still seeking career direction and purpose, the Duke may well feel rather remote and cut-off.

The cancer diagnoses of both his father and his sister-in-law will only serve to cement any feelings of isolation or helplessness.

His private messages relayed to Windsor on Friday evening might have been seen as a first step on the road to reconciliation. But the Duke will have a long time to wait before the Prince and Princess are ready to tackle any further dramas.