A question looms over Harry’s return to the UK. Can he rebuild his relationship with Prince William?

LONDON (AP) — The royal family's long-running American soap opera is returning to Britain, with Prince Harry and his wife Meghan planning to make the journey from California in the coming weeks. The decision to return has sparked speculation about whether it will lead to a reconciliation between Harry and Prince William, the heir to the throne.

The couple has already enrolled their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, in British schools so they can start the autumn term with their classmates. This move has raised questions about where they will live, how they will be funded, and whether they will resume their royal duties at any point.

The most contentious issue, however, is whether Harry can mend his once-close relationship with William, which was damaged by public complaints about mistreatment at Buckingham Palace, allegations of racism within the royal family, and the monarch's failings. Royal expert Craig Prescott warned that the couple's return to the U.K. could overshadow the monarchy's work, necessitating discussions and allowances from the palace.

Harry and Meghan's decision to return comes as King Charles III, Harry's 77-year-old father, continues treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer. The prince has expressed uncertainty about his father's prognosis and the desire for his children to get to know their grandfather.

Royal historian Ed Owens believes recent events have created a pathway for the couple's return, including Harry's expressed desire for reconciliation and a successful meeting between the king, his younger son and daughter-in-law, and their children at Charles' Highgrove estate last month. Owens also noted that Charles is expected to forgive Harry due to his role as the supreme governor of the Church of England, which demands public acts of forgiveness.

While William may find it more challenging to forgive his brother, he too will eventually become head of the church, according to Owens. He suggested that privately, William may never fully forgive Harry for what he deems as the betrayal of the family, but publicly, forgiveness will be expected as a traditional moral and Christian value.