Prince Harry and Prince William’s relationship is at an all-time low. Rumors suggest that William, the future king, avoids phone conversations with his younger brother. However, other reports indicate that he and his wife, Kate Middleton, are keen on repairing their strained relationship.
In his candid memoir, Harry described feeling like a “spare,” always in the shadow of his brother, who was destined for the throne. Despite the usual sibling dynamics, their experience was marked by unique tragedy, losing their mother, Princess Diana, when they were young.
What once was a close brotherhood has deteriorated, with Harry even labeling William his “archnemesis.”
Moreover, recent reports reveal that Harry’s issues extend to his father. A royal expert has disclosed the one thing Harry truly ‘hates’ about his father, which also involves his brother…
Prince William and Prince Harry have led lives that are both similar and profoundly different. Their childhood was very happy, but everything changed on August 31, 1997, when their mother, Princess Diana, passed away.
With their mother’s death, William and Harry were left with only one parent, their father Charles. Although the royal family is bound by rules, traditions, and protocols, one might expect that, in times of sorrow, family members would grieve just like anyone else, right? According to Harry, this wasn’t the case when their mother died.
Prince Harry & Prince William – how they found out about their mother’s death
In one passage of his memoir Spare, Harry recalled the horrifying morning he learned of his mother’s passing. Just 12 years old at the time, the Duke described how his father sat beside his bed and said, “Darling boy, Mummy’s been in a car crash.”
In utter shock, Harry felt that his father wasn’t there to care for or comfort him as he received the terrible news.
“There were complications. Mummy was quite badly injured and taken to hospital, darling boy,” Harry remembered his father saying.
“He always called me ‘darling boy,’ but he was saying it quite a lot now,” Harry continued. “His voice was soft. He was in shock, it seemed. ‘With a head injury. They tried, darling boy. I’m afraid she didn’t make it.’”
Harry further claimed that Charles put his hand on his knee, saying, “It’s going to be OK,” but he “didn’t hug” him.
“Everyone knows where they were and what they were doing the night my mother died,” Harry stated. “I cried once, at the burial, and I go into detail about how strange it was and how actually there was some guilt that I felt, and I think William felt as well, walking around the outside of Kensington Palace.”
“There were 50,000 bouquets of flowers to our mother, and there we were shaking people’s hands, smiling,” he continued. “I’ve seen the videos. I looked back over it all. And the wet hands that we were shaking, we couldn’t understand why their hands were wet, but it was all the tears they were wiping away.”
“I don’t think any child should be asked to do that”
Princess Diana’s death shocked the world. However, amid the global mourning, many overlooked the fact that two young boys, William and Harry, were also grieving their beloved mother while maintaining a public image.
The brothers walked behind their mother’s coffin to Westminster Abbey, a moment etched in history. Harry later criticized the decision to have the two young boys, aged 12 and 15, walk through London with the world watching.
“My mother had just died, and I had to walk a long way behind her coffin, surrounded by thousands of people watching me while millions more did on television,” he told Newsweek in 2017. “I don’t think any child should be asked to do that, under any circumstances. I don’t think it would happen today.”
Harry and William once shared a close relationship. When Harry turned 21, he told the world they were very close and could talk “about anything.”
“He is the one person on this earth who I can actually really, you know, we can talk about anything and we understand each other and give each other support and everything’s fine,” Harry said.
Today, Prince Harry’s relationship with his brother is at its lowest point. William reportedly refuses to take Harry’s calls, and tensions were high between them even before the Sussexes decided to leave royal life.
Prince Harry revealed details of physical confrontation with his brother
In his memoir Spare, Harry recounted a night in 2019 at his London home when he and William had a physical altercation. Harry claimed that William had called his wife, Meghan, “abrasive,” “rude,” and “difficult,” accusations that Harry dismissed as parroting the press narrative.
The situation escalated, and Harry described how William “grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and … knocked me to the floor.”
“He set down the water, called me another name, then came at me. It all happened so fast. So very fast. He grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and knocked me to the floor. I landed on the dog’s bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me. I lay there for a moment, dazed, then got to my feet and told him to get out,” Harry wrote.
Harry then recounted how William urged him to hit back, invoking memories of their childhood fights. When Harry refused, William left, only to return later “looking regretful, and apologized.” Harry noted that he sustained visible injuries on his back.
Moreover, Harry went as far as calling William his “archnemesis.”
About a year after Harry and Meghan left the royal family, Queen Elizabeth II’s husband, Prince Philip, passed away. During this period, tensions between Harry and William were still high. Meghan did not attend the funeral, but Harry did. However, the days surrounding the funeral were fraught with drama.
As the royal family walked in procession behind Prince Philip’s coffin, Harry and William were notably not walking shoulder-to-shoulder.
Harry was “outraged” over meeting with his father and brother
According to multiple news sources, Queen Elizabeth II instructed that Prince Harry and Prince William should not walk alongside each other in the funeral procession. Instead, their cousin Peter Phillips was positioned between them.
The Mirror reported that the Queen meticulously planned “every detail” of her husband’s funeral to ensure that nothing would overshadow the commemoration of Prince Philip’s extraordinary life.
Contrary reports suggested it was William’s decision to have Peter Phillips separate him from Harry.
Following the funeral, Charles, Harry, and William held a private meeting, occurring just a month after the Sussexes’ controversial interview with Oprah Winfrey. Unfortunately, the outcome was deeply disappointing, leaving Harry reportedly “outraged.” The unplanned two-hour discussion at Windsor Castle felt like an ambush to Harry, as he sought to begin a reconciliation process.
“The meeting after Prince Philip’s funeral was not scheduled. Harry felt ambushed by his dad and brother, which is no way to start a peace process,” a source disclosed to Radar Online.
Harry is trying to reach his father – but he won’t answer, expert says
Prince Harry and his brother have had few encounters over recent years. He and Meghan traveled from the US to the UK for Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral.
Despite their discomfort, Prince William and Kate walked alongside Harry and Meghan Markle at Windsor Castle, where they greeted the public and observed the numerous floral tributes to the late monarch.
When King Charles was crowned last May, Meghan Markle did not attend. Harry made the journey alone to the UK, departing shortly after the coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey concluded, returning to California.
On Father’s Day, June 16, Harry reportedly attempted to arrange a call with his father for the occasion. However, according to royal expert Tom Quinn, his attempts were met with hesitation.
“Harry has tried to set up a call with his father, but Prince Charles is hesitating, with Camilla advising against anything that might upset King Charles,” Quinn told the Mirror.
The royal expert noted that Harry wishes to send a “warm message” to his father, whom he “does love.” Unfortunately, the matter is not private, as Harry, estranged from the king, understands the public scrutiny of his life and relationship with his father.
Harry “hates” that Charles is always taking William’s side
“Harry knows that the world will be watching to see if he’s willing to extend an olive branch to his father. He’s determined to try to set aside their strained relationship and intends to send a heartfelt message,” explained Tom Quinn.
Efforts have been made to mend fences, but unfortunately, Harry’s relationships with his father and brother remain strained. According to royal expert Tom Quinn, Harry faces a significant hurdle: he feels that King Charles doesn’t show enough care for him and tends to “side” with William in family disputes.
“It’s important to remember that Harry truly loves his father; his frustration stems from Charles seemingly favoring William during family disagreements,” Quinn told the Mirror.
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