Inside Prince William And Harry's Complicated Relationship

Prince William and Prince Harry have been through a lot. For much of their lives, they functioned as a unit, facing life’s challenges as a pair. But things seem to have been a bit different in recent years. Not long after Harry married Meghan Markle, rumors started to spread that the two royal brothers had fallen out. But was there any truth to the whispers? And if so, can they put it all behind them now that their father is King?

Historic feuding

To some, it may seem surprising that Harry and William were ever that close to begin with. Royal history is packed full of tales of feuding brothers, after all. And it doesn't help that tales from William and Harry’s childhood imply that the two were, perhaps unintentionally, raised as an heir and a spare. But there were also signs within their family life that one son was held in higher esteem than the other.

The heir and the spare

According to royal biographer Ingrid Seward, for instance, Elizabeth The Queen Mother in particular favored William, with the knowledge that one day he would be king. Perhaps that was an old-fashioned idea that wasn't too unusual for her generation. But Princess Diana, on the other hand, apparently worked quite hard to ensure that Harry didn’t feel as though he was second best. Though the beloved princess could only do so much.

Bonding through tragedy

Tragically, in 1997 Diana suddenly died in a car crash, and the two boys were left motherless. If there was any silver lining, it was that the harrowing experience seemingly brought them together in a way that nothing else could. In a 2017 clip published by Kensington Palace, William said, “We are uniquely bonded because of what we’ve been through. But even Harry and I over the years have not talked enough about our mother.”

Falling into a deep depression

As an adult, Harry revealed that the loss of Diana sent him into a mental health spiral. But he also mentioned that his brother had helped him to get through it. After a long period of forcing himself to feel nothing, Harry finally went to a therapist — after William helped to persuade him to get the assistance he needed, that is. And Meghan also played a part in Harry finding the support that was right for him.

Push in the right direction

“I saw doctors, I saw therapists, I saw alternative therapists,” the prince explained in The Me You Can't See, an AppleTV+ series he created alongside Oprah Winfrey. “I saw all sorts of people. But it was meeting and being with Meghan [Markle], I knew that if I didn't do therapy and fix myself, that I was going to lose this woman who I could see spending the rest of my life with."

Rumors afoot

Harry married actress Meghan in May 2018, and William was naturally his best man. William’s two oldest children — George and Charlotte — served as a page boy and a bridesmaid, respectively. And the wedding itself appeared to be a joyous occasion. But in time rumors about the royal brothers' relationship started to spark. Yes, even though they seem to have come together to mourn their grandmother Queen Elizabeth — with there even being talks of private dinners — royal insiders couldn't help but ask one question.

The move to Frogmore

Had the brothers' deteriorating relationship gotten to the point of no return? Well, not long after Meghan and Harry’s wedding, Meghan became pregnant. And then it was announced that the newlyweds would be moving away from their home located in the grounds of Kensington Palace, which is close to William and Kate’s family home. Instead, they would go and live in Frogmore Cottage — a more spacious property, despite its rather quaint name.

Used to more of a "Hollywood environment"

Things then took a turn when the media began reporting that Meghan and William’s wife, Kate, didn’t care for each other. In 2018 The Sun reported that a palace source said the two duchesses had fought about the royals’ staff, for instance. The insider reportedly claimed, “Meghan can be difficult. She has very high standards and is used to working in a Hollywood environment.” True or not, these narratives must have caused some family tension.

The infamous crying incident

And to make matters worse, it was reportedly claimed by a person who spoke to The Daily Telegraph that Meghan had made Kate cry before the royal wedding took place. According to the alleged insider, a fitting for Charlotte’s bridesmaid dress had become “stressful.” Eventually, Kate — who had delivered her third child just weeks beforehand — apparently left the room openly crying. That sounds like a truly painful moment.

The real beef

But after these slow-burning developments came a major twist in the tale. Journalist Katie Nicholl — who is best known as the royal correspondent for Vanity Fair — suddenly came out with a revelation that concerned a brewing feud between two different royals: William and Harry. She even stated that a friend of both princes had been in contact with her about the origin of their quarrel, which involved a clash of their personal and professional lives.

William's communication

According to Nicholl’s alleged source, “Harry felt William wasn’t rolling out the red carpet for Meghan and told him so. They had a bit of a fall out which was only resolved when Charles stepped in and asked William to make an effort.” And while both sets of royals were seen together in the wake of this alleged argument, it appeared that there were still undercurrents of ill-feeling between the brothers — something Charles doesn’t have time to help resolve now that he’s king.

Concerned for his brother

And 2019 brought with it yet more salacious stories centered around the two princes and their wives. It was like the floodgates of gossip had burst open. In February, for instance, TLC released a documentary called Kate v. Meghan: Princesses at War? that Nicholls appeared in. She said, “William was quite concerned that the relationship [between Harry and Meghan] had moved so quickly.” He wasn't exactly delicate when he laid out his feelings either.

Protective of Meghan

“And [as William is] close to Harry, [he was] probably the only person close enough to say to Harry, ‘This seems to be moving quickly, are you sure?’” Nicholls went on. “I think what was meant as well-intended brotherly advice just riled Harry. Harry is hugely protective of Meghan. He saw that as criticism. He interpreted that as his brother not really being behind this marriage, this union. And I don’t think things have been quite right ever since.” Will things go back to how they were?

Accusations

Well, according to the documentary, Harry didn’t just take William’s words the wrong way — he was angry that his brother would be so meddlesome in the first place. A royal reporter for The Sun named Emily Andrews said Harry had an over-the-top reaction to William’s questioning. She claimed that the younger prince even “went ballistic and said, ‘You’re trying to wreck this relationship before it’s even started.’” It seemed as if the younger prince was at a crossroads.

Media running with it

And in 2019 filmmaker Nick Bullen spoke to Fox News about what he knew of the royals. He claimed that it had always been William and Harry feuding, but the media had played up the idea that it was Kate and Meghan. He said, “Let’s have these two super glamorous women — one British, one American. One an actress, one sort of an English rose. Let’s put them against each other… that’s the sexy sort of media story.”

All brothers fall out — but not all of them are princes

“It’s actually William and Harry [that] have had a rift,” Bullen then claimed. “All brothers fall out. All families fall out. Their fallout at the moment is becoming public... I think people don’t want to think about that with these two boys.” The two princes are, after all, the only children of a beloved princess. And they’re now also the sons of a king! If anything, the public eye is only going to pay more attention to them going forward.

Cracking the fairytale

Granted, there are some complex factors at play. The filmmaker then elaborated by saying, “These are two boys who lost their mother at a really early age... [The] fairytale is that they are closer than ever and need each other. And I think that’s probably true. But equally, they are two grown men in their 30s, starting their own families, [they have] different wives — they are moving to different parts... [with] different duties.”

Contradicting the rumors

But in that same month, a man called Dickie Arbiter — who served as a one-time press secretary to none other than Queen Elizabeth II herself — gave an interview to Us Weekly. And interestingly, it seemed to contradict some of the rumors that have swirled around the two royals. He seemed to imply that the main reason for the feud came from Harry and Meghan’s need for more space. Could that be a bit more understandable?

Creating his own office

Arbiter went on, “Harry has decided that he wants to set up his own office, which is fair enough. While he was single, he was living in his comfort zone with his brother and his sister-in-law. But now he’s married, he’s creating his own comfort zone with his wife, and it just makes sense. You can’t have a small staff running the offices of two people. Harry is now moving on and setting up his own office. Nothing unusual in that.”

Welcoming Archie

And on May 6, 2019, Harry became a father for the first time. Yes, he and Meghan welcomed their son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, into the world. According to a statement released by the palace at the time, a number of the royals —including William and Kate — had “been informed and [were] delighted with the news.” All talk of a rift between William and Harry had quieted down — for the time being, anyway. The peace wouldn't last forever.

Asking the question

And Harry was the one responsible for bringing that question back into the limelight. In October of that year, the younger brother broke his silence about the apparent rift when journalist Tom Bradby interviewed the prince for the ITV documentary Harry and Meghan: An African Journey. And Bradby posed a difficult question to the prince, saying, “There’s been a lot of talk in the press about rifts with your brother — how much of that is true?”

Always there for him

Harry gave us an answer, replying, “Part of this role, part of this job, this family, being under the pressure which it’s under — inevitably stuff happens. But we are brothers. We will always be brothers. We are certainly on different paths at the moment, but I will always be there for him... as I know he will always be there for me.” While he hinted at some unavoidable tension, Harry came across as pretty diplomatic.

True words spoken

Clearly, he wasn't trying to attack his older brother. But he also didn't make it sound like they were best friends. The prince went on, “We don’t see each other as much as we used to, as we are so busy. But I love him dearly, and you know the majority of the stuff is probably — well, the majority of the stuff is created out of nothing. But as brothers, you have good days, and you have bad days.”

It's about thriving

Meghan was also interviewed for the documentary, and she indicated that she wasn’t dealing well with royal life. When the duchess was asked how she was handling the scrutiny, for instance, she answered, “In all honesty, I have said for a long time to H — that is what I call him — it’s not enough to just survive something. That’s not the point of life. You have got to thrive.” Could it be that the real-life princess had gotten more than she bargained for?

No response from the palace

And after the documentary had aired, countless people watched it or read about it, including some members of the royal family. William apparently wasn’t too happy about the whole project. At first, rumors swirled that he had been angered by his brother’s words. But according to the BBC, an insider from Kensington Palace allegedly told the broadcasting corporation that William was actually feeling “worried.” The palace itself had no official response to the interview.

Sense of unease

Yet an anonymous royal insider apparently told E! Online that there was “a lot of bemusement within the royal family about what exactly Harry and Meghan are trying to achieve... [As] members of the royal family do not usually speak in such detail about personal matters.” They went on, “It’s fair to say that there is a deep sense of unease in the royal households about the direction this is all headed.” And it turns out they were right to be apprehensive.

Petty grievances

Later in November People magazine quoted a source who reportedly said, “There is a lot of hurt, and a lot of unresolved issues between the boys and no one to help mediate… Petty grievances can become huge conflicts between all the different royal offices if they aren’t managed correctly — and that’s exactly what’s happening now.” In addition, the brothers weren't the only ones contributing to the drama.

Unequal treatment

There were also rumors at this point that Charles wasn’t helping matters. New Idea magazine reported, for instance, that “Charles speaks to Meghan most weeks to see how she’s doing, [but] he rarely picks up the phone to call Kate.” And this supposed preferential treatment was apparently “rubbing William up the wrong way.” That certainly is not the kind of dynamic you want to see between a king and his heir.

Christmas with Meghan

As Christmas drew closer, it transpired that Harry and Meghan would not be indulging in festivities with the rest of the royal family at Sandringham. Instead, they would be going to Los Angeles to see Meghan’s mom Doria Ragland, to whom the actress is very close. So was this all perfectly normal — or instead another sign of a royal feud?

Away from the public

Apparently, according to a source who spoke to Closer Weekly, William and Kate were “relieved.” But not for the reasons that one might presume. William wasn’t glad he wouldn’t have to see his brother at Christmas, you see, but rather happy that Harry and Meghan were having some time away from the public eye.

Longer than expected

But this time away wouldn’t just be temporary. On January 20, 2020, Harry made a speech in which he revealed his and Meghan’s plans to move across the pond and to step back from their duties as senior members of the royal family. The news reportedly came as a shock to the rest of the royal family — including William and Kate.

Oprah interview

Then, in the couple’s infamous Oprah interview in 2021, more light was shed on the situation between William and Harry. Harry said, “The relationship is ‘space’ at the moment. And time heals all things, hopefully... I love William to bits, he’s my brother. We’ve been through hell together, we have a shared experience, but we were on different paths.” But given the history they shared, the brothers' paths soon came back together.

Together again

Fate would have it that the siblings couldn't keep the Atlantic Ocean between them forever. Just a few months after this interview, the boys came together on two memorable occasions: the first, to bury their grandfather Prince Philip in April, and then secondly, to unveil the memorial statue for their mother in July. And according to experts, the siblings seemed to be on good form with each other.

Read my lips

A few of their private remarks to each other made their way to the public, and they spoke volumes. Lip reader Jeremy Freeman told the Daily Star that he thought he knew what the princes were saying. After being told how to remove the statue cover, Harry apparently remarked to William, “We will be okay.” Then William supposedly said in response, “I didn’t want anything to go wrong. It’s important we unveil it right.” 

Display of unity

The signs looked good on the body language front, too. At least that was the case according to writer and communications guru Judi James, who said to the Daily Mirror, “They could have opted for a chilly distance with just a few curt words exchanged, but instead William and Harry took the decision to show a display of unity.” And how did she know this, you might be asking? 

Comforting rituals

Well, James went on to say, “There were clearly some signs of inner tensions, but the self-comfort ritual that was Harry’s wedding ring fiddling and William’s jacket-patting and touching were all normal traits for both brothers.” And, she told the newspaper, there were definitely some notes of hope for the brothers’ strained relationship. Their body language signaled that they had not completely abandoned each other during this difficult period — not in the least.

Moments of hope

“There were moments of eye contact between them — and with no obvious changes of eye expression or face-dropping that might suggest suppressed enmity,” James said of Harry and William. “Instead, Harry’s wide, horizontal grin looked so much like the old, playful Harry before the rift. And William’s rounded cheeks and rather more puckered lips suggested genuine pleasure.” Did this mark the end of the brothers’ estrangement?

Jubilee celebrations

Well, if it didn't, then the events of 2022 would certainly bring them closer together — if not emotionally, then certainly physically. Meghan and Harry flew back to the U.K. in early June to celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee, attending a Thanksgiving service at St Paul’s Cathedral. But even though William and Kate were also in attendance, it was claimed that the couples spent no time together whatsoever during the weekend of celebrations.

Back in the U.K.

Whether their lack of contact was intentional or coincidental, we might never know. But fans who were eager to see the "Fab Four" back together would not have to wait much longer. Harry and Meghan returned to the U.K. on September 3, 2022. Initially, they planned to visit charities "close to their hearts," but the sad news of Queen Elizabeth’s passing five days later put that itinerary on hold.

The fab four reunites

Two days later, on September 10, William, Kate, Harry, and Meghan ventured outside Windsor Castle together to greet fans and receive their condolences. Apparently, the Prince of Wales personally extended an invitation to the Sussexes. During the outing, Kate and Meghan could be seen wearing smart, black dresses, while their husbands had on black suits. They admired the flowers and gifts presented by fans, giving out hugs and handshakes to show their gratitude.

The days that followed

And more signs that the brothers were trying to mend their years-long rift followed. The Sun reported that Meghan and Harry were invited to join the royal family for a private dinner at Buckingham Palace after Queen Elizabeth’s coffin had made the journey from Scotland to London. This intimate event seemed to be markedly different from what happened the week previously, however. It's reported that when Harry traveled up to Balmoral after news of The Queen’s death broke, he wasn’t allowed to eat with his brother and father.

A pretty risky gamble

Harry apparently sat down to dinner with Princess Anne, Princes Andrew and Edward and Edward’s wife, Sophie, instead. “He could not be trusted,” a source told the newspaper. “How do they know he won’t write about it? Even if there is no time to update the book he could have told Meghan and it could have been blabbed. There was a lot to talk about so it was best to keep it to the King, Queen, and heir.” Ouch.

Behind Queen Elizabeth

But if that really was the case, then the private dinner in London seemed to have helped smooth things over. The day after, William and Harry came together to walk side by side behind Queen Elizabeth’s coffin as it made the procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall. They were in the second row behind King Charles, Princess Anne, and Princes Edward and Andrew. Queen Consort Camilla joined the procession in the car alongside Kate, Meghan, and Sophie Wessex.

The funeral

The brothers followed the same formation on the day of Queen Elizabeth’s state funeral as well. Though many sources reported that the brothers seemed cold towards each other, using their lack of eye contact and communication to draw such conclusions. And, now that Harry and Meghan are no longer senior royals, they naturally sat in different pews from William and Kate in both the Westminster Abbey and St George’s Chapel, Windsor, services.

A tactical move?

But given that this was a solemn day where all the focus should have been on Queen Elizabeth and her unwavering service to her people, it was perhaps a tactical move on the family’s part to limit interaction between William and Harry and Kate and Meghan. The tabloids jumping to conclusions would probably be the last thing they wanted! So were the brothers purposefully acting cold towards each other? Or were they doing all they could to avoid attention?

Coming back together in grief

If anything, Queen Elizabeth’s passing has given William and Harry something on which to unite — their grief. Now that their father is King, there’s no doubt he’ll be looking to his sons to give him all the support they can. And they’ll probably need each other to lean on as they adjust to a new era of British royalty. However, they seemed to basically ignore each other during their family's next major event.

Alone at the coronation

King Charles' coronation was an event that was decades in the making, but it didn't exactly bring the Windsors together. Harry raises some eyebrows by attending the ceremony while steering clear of his immediate family. He sat two rows behind William in Westminster Abbey. He then headed out right as the other royals were processing out, skipping the rest of the day's festivities. And, perhaps most notably, Meghan chose not to come to the United Kingdom at all.

Meghan at home

While Harry reportedly “wanted to be at the service to support his father at this important moment in his life,” Meghan turned down the invitation. The couple has built a busy life for themselves stateside, as they raise their two kids and work on a number of media projects, including a massive Netflix deal. They also made waves with Harry's memoir, Spare, which debuted a few months before the coronation and pulled few punches when it came to the prince's fraught family life.

Spare hits the shelves

Much of the book dealt with his feud with William, whom he described as "my beloved brother, my arch nemesis." Harry dropped one bombshell regarding an argument about Meghan's treatment of palace staff that turned into a physical altercation. Harry recalled, "[William] grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor. I landed on the dogs' 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."

Paparazzi car chase

Harry clearly suffered under the yoke of the royal family, but even in the civilian world, he hasn't escaped the turmoil that's followed him his entire life. In New York in May 2023, he attended an awards event with Meghan and her mother, Doria Ragland. The nice evening took a dark turn, though. As they started to drive home, a convoy of paparazzi tailed them, resulting in what their publicist called a "near catastrophic car chase." The couple later clarified that they were never in danger themselves, but that the photographers' aggressive maneuvers threatened the lives of other drivers and pedestrians.