Prince William reportedly wants “no part” of any drama surrounding his brother Harry’s decision to return to Britain six years after his dramatic departure.

The Prince of Wales also remains adamant that there is “no way back” for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to return to any official royal roles.

It follows the bombshell announcement this week that Prince Harry and wife Meghan Markle will return to Britain within weeks, with their children, for an extended stay.

Reports emerged on Friday (Australian time) that Meghan is poised to make a sensational return to acting, having secured a “major role” in Britain. No further details have been given.

Meghan and Harry have already found somewhere to live. The address remains undisclosed, although it is not an official royal residence.

Children Archie and Lilibet have also been enrolled in schools ahead of the start of the British school year in September.

This week’s developments came as the royal family arrived at Balmoral, in the Scottish Highlands, for their annual summer gathering. William, wife Kate and their three children – Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis – reportedly joined the King at the royal retreat late in the week.

The Sun says the royal family is deeming it “business as usual” following the Sussexes’ announcement.

“However … it is likely to be the tensest gathering on the Scottish estate since the death of Queen Elizabeth II,” it reported.

The gathering is likely to become a de facto summit – with Princess Anne and her husband Sir Timothy Laurence also there, along with her daughter Zara Tindall and her family. Prince Edward and wife Sophie are also there, meaning the King is surrounded by all the major working royals.

The King and other senior royals are already at Balmoral. Photo: AAP

The King and Prince of Wales learned of Harry and Meghan’s upcoming move only last Sunday – reportedly weeks after the Duke of Sussex informed British security services. William and his father are said to be in “complete lockstep” in refusing to consider any kind of “half in, half out” royal role for the Sussexes.

“Obviously the Sussexes’ return will make inevitable headlines for a few days, but it has no bearing on the prince and princess’ life moving forward,” The Mirror quoted friends of William and Kate as saying.

“If anything, events that have affected them over the past couple of years have made them even more determined to concentrate on what is important to them, their family, their public roles and the ability to provide generational change for good with their public roles, and look forward to the future.”

According to another source: “What Harry and Meghan choose to do is up to them. As far as William and Catherine are concerned they have left that period of their lives behind many years ago.”

But they said the Waleses couldn’t forgive Harry and Meghan.

“They do not have the time or the energy for any negativity or the drama that the Sussexes surround themselves with. As they have demonstrated with their public roles, everything they are trying to do is about positivity and making the world a better place as far as they can,” they said.

William is not believed to have spoken to his younger brother since Queen Elizabeth’s funeral in September 2022. The King has met Harry three times in that time, including most recently in July.

Harry and Meghan with children Archie and Lilibet.

In the years since leaving Britain, Harry has waged war in the courts with the press, successfully suing two major publishers, including Rupert Murdoch’s News Group Newspapers. Last month, he lost possibly his biggest battle, against the Daily Mail.

Many of those accused by his lawyers of being complicit in unlawful behaviour remain in senior posts or ‌have since moved to editor positions, ‌with most of those claims not ⁠upheld by the courts.

When Harry gave evidence at the Daily Mail trial, he held back tears as he said the tabloid had made Meghan’s life “an absolute misery”.

In those circumstances, one senior former royal aide said, the timing of the return to the media lion’s den was surprising.

“You escape by the skin of your teeth being eaten, fight them, lose and then come back to face them again. It’s absolutely baffling,” the aide, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters.

A year after the so-called Megxit, Harry said it had been driven in part by the actions of a “toxic” ‌British press, which was destroying his mental health.

“I did what any father or husband would do and thought ‘how do I get my family out of here?,” he said in a 2021 interview on The Late Late Show with James ‌Corden.

But returning to Britain will also mean returning to the media ‌scrutiny.

“There’s no doubt that the British press and the British media are going to try and follow their every move,” royal commentator Afua Hagan told Reuters.

“Perhaps they are walking back into the lion’s den but they’re walking back into a lion’s den prepared. They’re not bringing a knife to a gunfight.”

Harry also fought and lost a lengthy court battle with the UK government over his security arrangements, after a specialist body decided in February 2020 that ​he would not automatically receive personal police protection.

He labelled the decision as devastating and said it could mean his family would not be able to safely return to Britain. Who will now pay for his security and at what level of protection remain unknown.

“This is a private matter,” UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham said.

“It’s a matter for Harry and for Meghan, and we wish them well in the ​moves that ​they are making.”

Buckingham Palace declined to comment about the family’s return.

-with AAP