Prince William should wait for Harry to make the first move in rebuilding the royal brothers' shattered relationship, a major poll revealed last night.

Just four per cent of Britons believe the onus is on the Prince of Wales to forge a peace deal when the Duke and Duchess of Sussex return to the UK in the coming days, according to the survey commissioned by The Mail on Sunday.

With the Royal Family gathered at Balmoral this weekend for their traditional summer holiday, senior courtiers are still reeling from the astonishing news that Harry and Meghan are on the verge of moving back to Britain after six years in the US.

The dramatic decision, of which the King was informed only last Sunday, has immediately thrown the spotlight on the bitter rift between William, 44, and Harry, 41.

The brothers have not spoken to each other since Queen Elizabeth's funeral in September 2022 and it is believed there has not been any sort of contact for more than two-and-a-half years.

Friends of the Waleses are said to have claimed the couple are unable to forgive a series of hugely damaging broadsides by the Sussexes after 'Megxit' in 2020, including a claim in Harry's memoir Spare that William left him with visible 'scrapes and bruises' after an alleged fight between the pair. 

Now a poll for the MoS by Find Out Now reveals that 31 per cent of those surveyed believe Harry should 'make the first move' in any attempted reconciliation with William.

Some 27 per cent believe they should make amends equally together, while just four per cent believe William should make the first move. A total of 11 per cent said neither should make the first move and 28 per cent said they do not know.

Among the duke and duchess's most damaging accusations was the claim during an  incendiary interview in 2021 with Oprah Winfrey that an unnamed royal had 'concerns and conversations' about how dark their then-unborn son Archie's skin may be.

William later publicly stated that the Royal Family is 'very much not a racist family'

The poll of 2,000 people found that 43 per cent believe the Sussexes should apologise for their comments. Just over a quarter said they should not apologise and 31 per cent said they do not know.

The results come as royal insiders claim that one of the King's most trusted aides has made it his 'number one task' to repair the rift between William and Harry.

Former diplomat Theo Rycroft, who became deputy private secretary to the King in February, is said to hope that William could publicly acknowledge his brother. This, it claimed, could be as simple as appearing at the same event or in the same photograph.

'A rapprochement between William and Harry remains a work in progress, and Theo is taking the lead,' one source told the MoS.

Another said: 'Under Theo's watch William could publicly acknowledge his brother somehow. No one is expecting them to be friends but the drama has to end, for William's sake as much as anyone's.'

A source close to the King last night denied the claims, describing them as 'baseless' and 'without foundation'. A source close to William also disputed their accuracy.

Those hoping for a reconciliation are pinning their hopes on a major black-tie event to be hosted on September 18 by The Diana Award, a charity in which both William and Harry act as patrons. 

The charity, which celebrates young people who make a difference to the lives of others, is a crucial organisation for the princes, as it has played a key role in keeping their mother's memory alive.

Next month's event at the OWO Hotel in central London will mark the beginning of the build-up to the 30th anniversary next summer of Princess Diana's death.

In recent years William and Harry have taken turns to participate in the charity's events. The MoS understands William is not currently due to attend next month's event and it is not known if the Sussexes will be there.

One senior royal observer last night cautioned that the ability of senior courtiers to influence any possible rapprochement between the brothers is strictly limited.

The source said: 'It is not a matter for the advisers or the royal household. This is family and they'll try to sort it out themselves, in private. Of course, the royal household would like a smooth path, reconciliation would make that smoother. 

'It would make their lives much easier. But they have no serious influence to make it happen. It would be seen as overreaching.

'The King would like his sons to be on good terms. He's living with cancer and doesn't want his family divided. And, yes, he is talking to William about it in private.

'But no one will be pressuring William, let alone telling him what to do. William is no fool, but he can be volatile and no one wants confrontation. Meanwhile, there is a general feeling of mistrust around Harry.'

Security officials are reportedly believed to be planning to restart their review of Harry's claim for taxpayer-funded security. 

The Royal and VIP Executive Committee was previously examining whether the Sussexes should automatically be given armed protection each time they visited the UK.

But the couple's decision to live at an undisclosed non-royal residence outside of London may change the committee's consideration of security. Experts last week told the Daily Mail that round-the-clock protection for a family could cost £3million to £5million a year.

Today's MoS-commissioned poll shows an overwhelming majority – 68 per cent – believe Harry and Meghan should pay solely for their security. 

Just two per cent said taxpayers should pay, while 12 per cent said the duke and duchess and the public should both contribute and 17 per cent did not know.

The public, however, appears split on the couple’s decision to return to the UK, with 27 per cent agreeing with the decision, 34 per cent disagreeing and 39 per cent responding ‘don’t know’. 

Additional reporting: Nicholas Pyke