A royal split? Now that Prince Harry and Prince William are older and married with families of their own, it would make sense that the brothers would eventually separate themselves into their own royal courts. And according to multiple reports, that separation might now come sooner rather than later.

Harry, 34, and William, 36, are reportedly considering to formally divide their joint royal household, which is currently based at London’s Kensington Palace, into two separate households. This separation would create two new royal courts — one for the Duke of Cambridge and one for the Duke of Sussex — and each court would reflect the difference in their responsibilities as it pertains to the royal succession.

“William and Harry are working to make sure the Sussexes have an office that can support their family when they move to Frogmore [Cottage] this spring. This work has been underway since before last year’s wedding,” a source told the U.K.’s The Sunday Times on Sunday, February 17, adding that “it is thought courtiers hope a formal separation of their staff may help ease the reported tensions between the brothers and their wives.”

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The same outlet previously revealed that “the brothers have leaned 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.”

Since William is second in line to the throne, he will have to start preparing to become the next Prince of Wales after his father, Prince Charles, one day becomes king. Meanwhile, Harry is sixth in line to the throne — behind his niece and nephews Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis — and thus will likely assume a more visible role as a royal ambassador in the future.

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“When William becomes the Prince of Wales, he will take on a lot of extra responsibility, including the Duchy of Cornwall and all that entails. Harry and Meghan have none of that, and seem ambitious about forging their own paths,” the royal insider explained. “They have become different people with different outlooks on life. Splitting the household is the obvious thing to do.”

The separation of Harry and William’s royal court would most likely take place sometime this year after Meghan Markle gives birth to their first child this spring and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex relocate from Kensington Palace to Frogmore Cottage at Windsor Castle.

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