Families are complicated, even when they are royal. Brothers Prince William and Prince Harry were once inseparable. It is public knowledge that this is no longer the case. A new book offers insights on why this is and how Prince Harry rejected William’s attempts at reconciliation.
Valentine Low's new book Courtiers: Intrigue, Ambition, and the Power Players Behind the House of Windsor, takes a close look into the brothers' falling out. Excerpts of it were recently published in The Times. According to Valentine, Prince William saw trouble brewing for the royal family during Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s trip to South Africa.
During their 2019 tour of South Africa, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex gave an interview to British television station ITV. This interview was part of a larger documentary called Harry & Meghan: An African Journey. It was the first time the couple opened up about their struggles as newlyweds, working royals, and new parents.
Prince William and Kate did not take this interview well. They reportedly saw it as a personal attack. Palace insiders saw it as a “deliberate attempt to knock the Cambridges out of the headlines.”
For his part, the book says Prince William saw troubling coming for the larger institution of the monarchy and royal family. He apparently realized this might be a turning point. He viewed the family as being “in crisis.”
During the interview, Prince Harry opened up about a growing wedge between him and his family. ITV’s Tom Bradby asked about Prince William and Harry’s relationship. Harry did not deny that the brothers were growing apart.
Harry stated: “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.” This was a big admission.
This interview and the bombshells revealed in it dominated the news cycle. It overshadowed the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's important trip to Pakistan. The book believes this was the beginning of tensions between the couples.
Prince William reportedly wanted to meet with Prince Harry to address the interview and all of the accusations made against the royal family. Prince Harry initially agreed. A meeting was discussed.
According to the book, Prince Harry soon changed his mind about the meeting. He wanted to know who else would know that he was meeting with his brother. William told him his private secretary would need to know to schedule the meeting. This did not sit right with Harry.
Prince Harry did not want this meeting leaked to the press. The book states: “[Harry] was so concerned that William’s team would leak the visit to the press that he would rather they did not come than risk it getting into the papers.”
The book claims this failed attempt at reconciliation occurred five months before Harry and Meghan would announce they were stepping down from their royal duties. They would no longer be working members of the royal family. Prince Harry and Meghan would soon move to Canada to start anew. The brothers' relationship has not recovered since this change.
Check out our Meghan Markle page for all the latest news about Meghan, Prince Harry, and their growing family.
