For years now, I’ve been saying that Prince Harry and Prince William need separate communications offices. They have different roles and different needs and different constituencies, really, as the heir and spare. Over the years, I’ve noted – as many other people have noted – that the conjoined communications staff for the princes has been a bad thing for Harry. William constantly throws his younger brother under the proverbial bus, and the KP office’s priority is clearly William and Kate, at the expense of Harry’s PR and activities. When Meghan joined the Firm, I had high hopes that she would get more involved and convince Harry that they needed their own dedicated staff, working solely on their issues. Well… I think that’s what has happened? Meghan and Harry are apparently looking to branch out and have their own office and a separate “court.”

They have long appeared to be the closest of brothers, bonded in tragedy and an inseparable element in the worldwide appeal of the royal family. Yet the pressures of monarchy, marriage and their diverging royal roles are presenting new challenges for dukes of Cambridge and Sussex. Princes William, 36, and Harry, 34, are considering a formal division of their joint royal household, which is based at Kensington Palace, and the creation of separate courts to reflect their increasingly different responsibilities.

A source close to William and Harry said: “The brothers have leant on each other and looked after each other since their mother died. But now they have their own families, they no longer rely on each other as before.”

Roya Nikkhah, the royal correspondent for The Sunday Times, shared exclusive intel this weekend relating to Prince Harry and Prince William’s roles within the royal family. And per Nikkhah, “the Duke of Cambridge and Duke of Sussex are preparing to go their separate ways. William and Harry considering plans to split the Kensington Palace household and create two separate courts as their future roles with Kate and Meghan diverge.”

The “royal double-act” could soon be a thing of the past, “when Harry, Meghan and their child… move from Nottingham Cottage.” As Meghan’s first baby is due in the Spring of 2019, it’s likely that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be preparing for their exciting arrival, which might mean moving into bigger accommodation.

[From The Times & Harper’s Bazaar]

I’ve also been wondering about the Nottingham Cottage situation – I can’t believe the Queen hasn’t already given Harry and Meghan a bigger apartment/situation at Kensington Palace. Maybe she’ll even give them a place beyond KP – but where? I don’t know enough about how much space Charles uses at Clarence House and St. James Palace, honestly. As for the separate court… as I said, the brothers have needed separate offices for a while. Harry can’t even have devoted palace-communications coverage of one his signature causes – say, Invictus – without William and Kate screaming “don’t forget about uuuuussssss” and demanding that Poor Jason put out a statement about how they’re super-keen about something. Of course, separate offices means there will be less coordination and the Cambridges and Sussexes will end up stepping on each other’s messaging and events more often. But… who do you think that will benefit? Meghan and Harry, just my opinion.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid, WENN.