Prince Harry’s Once-Close Relationship With Beatrice and Eugenie Reportedly Cools Ahead of UK Return

Prince Harry may soon be living much closer to his British relatives again, but a relationship that once appeared to be one of his strongest remaining royal family connections is reportedly no longer as close.

The Duke of Sussex, 41, has historically shared a particularly warm bond with his cousins Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. Eugenie, in particular, remained close to Harry and Meghan Markle even after the Sussexes’ relationship with other members of the Royal Family became increasingly strained.

Now, however, a source quoted by HELLO! claims that the Sussexes have grown distant from the York sisters, alleging that Harry and Eugenie are “not even in touch.”

If accurate, the reported change would mark a significant shift for cousins who once appeared to maintain a remarkably close relationship despite the wider family tensions.

Harry and Eugenie once shared a particularly close bond

Of the two York sisters, Harry’s friendship with Eugenie has received the most attention over the years.

Eugenie was reportedly among the first members of the Royal Family to learn about Harry’s relationship with Meghan. Their connection continued after Harry and Meghan stepped away from royal duties and moved to North America in 2020.

She also became the only member of the Royal Family to make a personal appearance in the Sussexes’ 2022 Netflix documentary series.

The cousins were filmed spending time together in California, including attending the Super Bowl in 2022. Eugenie and her husband, Jack Brooksbank, also visited Harry and Meghan after their relocation to the United States.

Their relationship was not limited to visits in America. Harry and Meghan also allowed Eugenie and Jack to stay at Frogmore Cottage after the Sussexes had established their new life in California.

That history makes the latest claims of reduced contact particularly striking.

Source claims Harry and Meghan have grown distant from the York sisters

According to the HELLO! source, Harry’s social circle from before his move to California has become considerably smaller.

“Harry and Meghan are not so close to Beatrice and Eugenie anymore,” the insider claimed.

The source also alleged that Harry did not see Eugenie during the summer in Portugal, despite the Sussexes spending time there.

“Harry has very few friends left from before,” the source added, suggesting that returning to Britain could require the couple to rebuild parts of their social network.

“They’re going to have to make some serious social inroads and gatherings to get back in the fold,” the insider claimed.

The source went further when discussing the York sisters, stating that Beatrice and Eugenie were “not even in touch” with Harry and Meghan, despite Eugenie having once been particularly close to her cousin.

There has been no public confirmation of these claims from Harry, Meghan, Beatrice or Eugenie. As a result, the reported state of their private relationships remains unverified.

Harry and Eugenie’s reported lack of contact draws attention after Portugal trip

The claims have attracted additional attention because the Sussexes recently spent time in Portugal, a country where Eugenie and Jack also have connections.

Meghan shared photographs from the family’s summer travels in July, including time spent in Portugal and Britain. Portuguese media reported that the Sussexes visited the Melides area on the Alentejo coast.

According to the HELLO! source, however, Harry and Eugenie did not meet during the trip.

There is an obvious factor that may have influenced the situation: Eugenie was heavily pregnant at the time. She later gave birth to her third child, Adelaide Elizabeth Annina Brooksbank, on 3 August.

Neither side has confirmed that the cousins deliberately avoided one another.

Beatrice and Eugenie have continued to build their own place within the Royal Family

Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie have followed a somewhat different path from other members of the Royal Family.

Neither sister is a full-time working royal, but both continue to attend selected family occasions and maintain public links with the wider monarchy.

Their position has also become more complicated as tensions between Harry and Prince William have continued.

For years, the York sisters were sometimes viewed as potential links between Harry and other members of the family, particularly because Eugenie had maintained a relationship with the Sussexes after their departure from royal duties.

If the latest reports about the cousins’ relationship are accurate, that potential bridge may no longer be as strong as it once appeared.

Harry’s relationship with King Charles appears to be taking a different direction

The reported cooling between Harry and his cousins comes at a time when his relationship with his father appears to be moving in a more positive direction.

Harry, Meghan, Archie and Lilibet reportedly met privately with King Charles and Queen Camilla at Highgrove in July.

The gathering was particularly significant because it was reportedly the first time the King had seen his Sussex grandchildren in four years.

The meeting also followed Harry’s repeated public comments about wanting to repair his relationship with his family.

After losing his legal challenge over his security arrangements in Britain in 2025, Harry said he would “love reconciliation” and argued that there was “no point continuing to fight.”

With the Sussexes now planning to establish a base in Britain, there should be more opportunities for private family meetings than there were during their years living primarily in California.

King Charles was reportedly informed of their plans on Sunday and is said to welcome the prospect of spending more private time with Harry, Meghan and his grandchildren.

Harry still has longstanding friendships in Britain

Even if his relationship with Beatrice and Eugenie has changed, Harry has maintained connections with people who have been part of his life for years.

His former social circle has included Hugh Grosvenor, the Duke of Westminster, as well as childhood friends Charles and Thomas van Straubenzee and Guy Pelly.

Another longstanding connection is Mark Dyer, who previously served as an equerry to King Charles and developed a close relationship with Harry during his younger years. Harry is also godfather to Dyer’s son, Jasper.

Meghan has longstanding friendships in Britain too, including her connection with designer Misha Nonoo.

Exactly how many of these relationships remain close today is difficult to establish, as much of the Sussexes’ private social life is not publicly documented.

Their return to Britain, however, could put Harry back within easy reach of people who were once central to his life.

The Sussexes are preparing for a different kind of life in Britain

Harry and Meghan’s reported return should not be confused with a return to their former working-royal roles.

The couple are expected to remain private, non-working members of the Royal Family, with no revival of the “half-in, half-out” arrangement that was discussed when they stepped back in 2020.

Reports indicate that the Sussexes plan to establish themselves at a private, non-royal residence outside London while retaining their Montecito home and property in Portugal.

Their children, Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five, are expected to begin school in Britain in September.

That would make the move considerably more significant than another short visit.

For the first time since 2020, Harry would once again be living relatively close to his father, brother, cousins and some of the friends who knew him before he left royal life.

But geographical proximity does not necessarily mean old relationships will immediately return to the way they were.

The reported reunion with King Charles suggests that one important family relationship may be moving toward warmer ground. His relationship with Prince William remains far more complicated, while the latest claims suggest his once-close connection with Beatrice and Eugenie may also have changed considerably.

Perhaps most notably, Eugenie was once regarded as one of Harry’s closest royal allies. If the latest report is accurate, the cousins who once appeared inseparable may now be living very different lives — even as Harry prepares to return to Britain.