Prince Harry, who stepped down from his senior royal duties alongside Meghan Markle in 2020, finds himself dealing with a profound sense of sadness.

The Duke of Sussex has been in conflict with the royal family for several years, resulting in his estrangement from his brother, Prince William, and depriving him of the chance to be an uncle to William’s children.

A source shared with a private news outlet that Harry harbors deep feelings of guilt over his distant relationship with his niece and nephews, saying,

“Whatever Harry feels about his brother and his dad, he always feels guilty that he doesn’t have a relationship with his niece and nephews and that Archie and Lili don’t know their only cousins.”

Harry had always envisioned being a supportive figure for William and Kate Middleton’s children—Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6. He hoped to offer them advice and guidance, especially to Charlotte and Louis, on matters they might not feel comfortable discussing with their parents.

The source added that the situation profoundly affects Harry, with his heart breaking over the lack of a relationship with his niece and nephews.

The rift between Harry and William intensified following the release of Harry’s memoir, “Spare.” In the book, Harry detailed various issues within the royal family and portrayed William in a particularly negative light, contributing to their current lack of communication.

Despite Prince George’s clear path as the second in line to the throne, Harry believes he could offer valuable guidance to Charlotte and Louis, who, like him, are ‘spares’ in the royal lineage.