The rift between Prince William and Prince Harry has deepened over the years, fueled by Harry’s explosive revelations in his memoir Spare, the Oprah Winfrey interview, and the Harry & Meghan Netflix documentary. At the heart of the tension is William’s reported anger over accusations leveled against his wife, Kate Middleton, particularly claims of her alleged indifference toward Meghan Markle.
As the countdown to Prince William’s eventual coronation begins, palace insiders suggest that the Prince of Wales, who has largely remained silent about his brother in public, is likely to exclude Harry from the historic event. The once inseparable brothers have not spoken since the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022, according to reports.
Harry’s relationship with the Royal Family has been fraught with tension since he stepped back from his royal duties and relocated to California in 2020. His public criticisms of the family have strained not only his relationship with William but also with their father, King Charles III, who ascended to the throne following Queen Elizabeth II’s death.
Royal sources have described Harry’s actions as “outrageously disloyal.” They believe that Harry and Meghan could have exited the royal family with dignity and decency, rather than tarnishing its reputation. “The conclusion is they’ve made money from trashing his family,” one source told The Times. A friend of Harry’s shared that the prince seems frustrated and dissatisfied with how events have unfolded, reflecting the deep divide that has grown between him and his family.
The estrangement between William and Harry is a source of great sadness for those close to the brothers. One of William’s friends told The Sunday Times that the situation is “dreadfully sad,” emphasizing the emotional toll it has taken on both princes.
Despite the growing chasm, royal author Christopher Andersen holds onto hope that William will eventually extend an olive branch to Harry, especially during the coronation. “Despite all the bad blood, I’m convinced that, when the time does come, William will not be foolish enough to exclude his only sibling, now fifth in line to the throne, from his coronation,” Andersen told Fox News.
As the world watches and waits for the next chapter in this royal saga, the question remains whether the two brothers can find a way to mend their fractured relationship, or if the wounds inflicted by years of public and private conflict are simply too deep to heal.