There’s been plenty made of the relationship between Princes William and Harry in the wake of the latter’s move to the US.
Harry’s subsequent airing of the British Royal Family’s dirty laundry – yes, we’re talking about that infamous interview with Oprah Winfrey – served to amplify matters, further tightening the screws on the already strained state of affairs.
Indeed, amongst those said to be most angry at Harry for he and Meghan’s perceived betrayal of trust and protocol was his older brother, William.
Now first in line to the throne, it makes sense to assume that William has always had the best interests of the Crown at heart. As such, Harry’s open confessions – a number of which did a lot to damage the reputation of Buckingham Palace – were in direct opposition to the life William will always seek to protect.
The fallout from Harry and Meghan’s decision to not only step back from the Royal Family but also leave UK altogether has been naturally widespread. Sensational headlines and head-spinning rumors are never far away where the royals are concerned, and that one of Princess Diana’s sons would choose to leave, and then dish the dirt, on his family, makes for the perfect storm.
And so it has proven to be ever since.
Harry has been on UK shores since his acrimonious departure, but the bridges potentially burned between himself and his family – particularly William and now-King Charles – haven’t quite been rebuilt.
Sorting through the moving parts to try and decide what’s fact and what is fiction is no easy task of late, especially not in the wake of Queen Elizabeth’s death, where the spotlight is trained on the royals like never before.
Even so, a new book is alleging that Prince William once tried to reach out to his younger brother after an interview the latter gave in 2018. Harry’s response? …
… Rejection.
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The world stood still for a time earlier this month as the British Royal Family laid to rest arguably the most inspiring monarch they have ever known.
Queen Elizabeth was so much more than just a figurehead, just a queen. She was an institution, an icon, a link between the days of old and more modern times.
That she sat for 70 years on the English throne is nothing short of remarkable – the success of her reign, and that she was adored up and down the country, has been all too well evidenced by the tributes paid after her passing.
2,000 people, many of them world leaders and other important dignitaries, were in attendance for the Queen’s funeral, while the Royal Family were said to have held their own private ceremony later on in the day.
It should go without saying that the Queen’s funeral was a grand affair, one watched by millions of people across the globe. From every corner they tuned in to mark the historical moment, while the sheer weight of the coverage meant that absolutely nothing was missed.
That includes the other members of the Royal Family, forced to stand under scrutiny for the entirety of the ceremony.
One of those was Queen Elizabeth’s grandson, Harry, who has found himself at the center of a media storm since his decision to step back from royal duties alongside his wife, Meghan Markle.
Suffice it to say that the pair have strained relationships with the rest of the Royal Family – not at all helped by the interview they did with Oprah Winfrey, during which they made claims of racism toward their then-unborn son, Archie, and Meghan went as far as to say that she had harbored suicidal thoughts during her time in England.
Harry has been in the UK since then – he was present last year for the funeral of his grandfather, Prince Philip, as well as for the unveiling of a statue to commemorate his late mother, Princess Diana – but his once-strong bond with Prince William remains damaged, if reports are to be believed.
There had been hopes that Harry’s time in the UK could be used to rebuild any bridges burned between he and his close family members, but only time will tell if that is indeed the case.
Diana’s sons presented a unified front after their grandmother’s passing, particularly when they met members of the public at Windsor Castle to receive flowers in the Queen’s honor. What’s more, they stood shoulder-to-shoulder several times during the Queen’s funeral as they marched behind her coffin.
Yet though virtually everyone hopes and wishes that Diana’s two sons will reestablish the heartwarming relationship that helped them to overcome their mother’s passing and grow up under the scrutiny of the world, the truth, unfortunately, might be a little grimmer.
To trace the beginning of William and Harry’s woes, we have to go back to the start of Harry’s romance with Meghan Markle.
According to a new book written by author Valentine Low – extracts of which have been published in the Daily Mail – the trouble between William and Harry has been brewing as far back as 2018.
As you may remember, that was the year Harry and Meghan tied the knot. In 2019, Harry then dropped the first hint that not all was well regarding their daily lives as working royals. During a tour of South Africa, he famously revealed that Meghan was “struggling”, and confessed that he and William had “good days” and “bad days”.
The comments made by Harry came mere months before he and Meghan stepped back from their royal duties. They would infer during the infamous tell-all sit-down chat with Oprah Winfrey that not enough was done to help Meghan when she was at her worst while living in England.
Yet, as per Valentine Low’s book, William was keen on arranging to have a talk with his younger brother after the aforementioned comments he made in South Africa.
The book Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind the Crown, suggests that William reached out to his brother and that Harry was initially open to the offer.
Harry, however, turned down William due to fears that news of any such meeting would be leaked by royal staff.
Low’s book, part-published in the Daily Mail, reads:
“The day after the documentary aired, William WhatsApped his brother to ask if he could come and see him.
“Initially, Harry was in favour. Then he spoke to his brother again and asked him whom he would tell. William explained that he’d have to clear his schedule, which would mean telling his private secretary. At that point, Harry told him: Don’t come.
“He was so concerned that William’s team would leak the visit to the Press that he would rather not see his brother than risk it getting into the papers.”
Low’s book goes on to add that the break-down in talks between William and Harry was “heartbreaking” news to people who were close to the both of them.
Indeed, when one considers that their mother, Princess Diana, once made them promise to always be each other’s best friends, the current state of their relationship is even more saddening.
“You must promise me that you will always be each other’s best friends,” Diana is said to have told her boys.
“And never let anyone come between you,” she added, after which the brothers apparently “high-fived each other and gave their mother a big cuddle”.
Interestingly, Harry is due to release a new memoir later this year, the contents of which could shed much light on a number of topics that the public have never had any real insight into.
Certain members of the Royal Family are quietly said to be apprehensive regarding the book’s release, and just what might make it out into the light of day as a result.
What do you think of the relationship between Prince William and Prince Harry? Do you hope they can recapture some semblance of their former bond to one another?
Let us know your thoughts on that, and all things royal, in the comments box.
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