The relationship between Prince William, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, and Prince Harry has dramatically changed over the past decade. When William married Kate on April 29, 2011 at Westminster Abbey, Harry stood proudly by his brother’s side as best man. However, Harry revealed in his memoir Spare that as he watched the newlyweds emerge from the church, a chilling, one-word thought crossed his mind: “Goodbye.”
As reported by Mirror,This prophetic moment marked a turning point for the once-close trio. The brothers, who had supported each other through grief after their mother Diana’s death in 1997, would never again share the same bond. As Harry recounted in Spare, “The brother I’d escorted into Westminster Abbey that morning was gone – forever.”
In the lead-up to the wedding, Harry had described Kate as “the sister I never had,” underscoring the closeness they shared. The three made frequent public appearances together, projecting an image of warm camaraderie. Behind the scenes, Harry was William’s trusted confidant, and Kate appreciated Harry’s humor and kindness.
However, Harry sensed even then that his brother’s marriage heralded an end to that era. The duo were forging their own path as future King and Queen Consort, and Harry would increasingly be left behind, the “spare” to William’s “heir.”
In the memoir, Harry wrote about the poignant car ride to Westminster Abbey that morning with William, along the same route they had taken as boys behind their mother Diana’s coffin in 1997. Being back in the ancient abbey stirred difficult memories for Harry, reminding him of all he had lost. While William gained a wife and future Queen, Harry seemed to understand he was losing his only remaining nuclear family.
In subsequent years, tensions grew as William and Kate started their own family, and Harry met and married American actress Meghan Markle. He later claimed his brother and sister-in-law did little to welcome Meghan, leaving her isolated and vulnerable to tabloid attacks.
Things came to a head when Harry and Meghan left the U.K. in 2020 and gave an explosive interview to Oprah Winfrey in 2021. They alleged racism and lack of support from the royal family, worsening divisions with William and Kate. Relations further deteriorated this year upon Harry’s release of his tell-all memoir.
While Kate has avoided publicly addressing the feud, William has made veiled references, such as saying the royal family is “very much not a racist family.” Nevertheless, there have been no signs of reconciliation between the couples. Harry and Meghan even declined to attend the 2023 wedding of the Duke of Westminster, wanting to avoid an awkward encounter.
It seems Harry’s bleak thought on his brother’s wedding day – that this marked the end of an era for the once-inseparable siblings – has come to fruition. With attacks and accusations continuing to be traded through books and leaks, the breach between them appears beyond repair. The memory of that bittersweet car ride to Westminster Abbey over a decade ago stands now as a final moment of unity before years of division began.
