The rift between Prince Harry and his brother, Prince William, had been going on even before the Duke of Sussex and his wife, Meghan Markle, stepped down from their roles within the royal family. But after the Sussexes bolted, things got much worse.
William and his sibling played it cordial during Meghan and Harry’s final engagement in 2020 and exchanged pleasantries before the church service.
However, once the duke and duchess moved 5,000 miles away they decided to air out the family’s dirty laundry in interviews, magazines, podcasts, a Netflix docuseries, Harry’s memoir Spare, and to anyone who felt like listening. Now, many royal watchers think the damage to William and Harry’s relationship can never be undone and there’s “nothing between them anymore.”
Royal expert Duncan Larcombe recently spoke about the state of princes’ relationship and believes the trust between them is completely broken now.
He told Fabulous: “It’s one thing having a row with your sibling. It’s not uncommon in any family, but in this particular context, it is a constant betrayal. William can’t make that first move without Harry betraying him and breaking his confidence. There is just nothing between them anymore.”
Larcombe added that in September the Prince of Wales did not acknowledge the Duke of Sussex’s birthday as he had in years past. “William didn’t wish his brother a happy birthday publicly, where in previous years he has,” the expert recalled. “It’s certainly a signal that William doesn’t want to talk about his brother, let alone to him.”
Royal commentator Jennie Bond also weighed in on the subject and agreed with Larcombe saying that there is “no way back for the brothers” because “William is hurt so deeply that I think he probably just blanks Harry out of his mind most of the time. He has moved on with his life, and I guess so has Harry.”
A former royal family employee who worked for William and Harry’s parents opined that the brothers’ relationship is beyond repair and the last straw for William likely came when Meghan criticized Kate. In 1987, Paul Burrell began working in the household of then-Prince Charles and Princess Diana. He remained the princess’s butler until her death in 1997
Burrell told The Mirror US: “The trouble is once things are said they can’t be taken back and people have been hurt. I think William is hurt because his wife has been criticized when she is above that.”
Burrell echoed what Lamcombe said about the siblings’ physical row: “Yes, [Harry] can have a fight with his brother and break a dog bowl. That’s what boys do, rough and tumble.” However, he thinks Harry crossed the line when he brought up Kate’s row with Meghan over bridesmaids’ dresses.
“Do not criticize Kate … William doesn’t have a voice to support his wife and Harry knows that,” Burrell said. “And so this barbed criticism, heading towards Kate couldn’t be defended. And so it remains in the air as a truth.”
