In case you've missed the memo, the British tabloids are wreaking havoc on the relationships in Prince Harry's life. There's the constant nitpicking at him and Meghan Markle — as parents, as royals, and as a couple. Harry's marriage isn't the only relationship that's been under attack by the press in the past year, however. There's also his very close relationship with his older brother, Prince William.
William and Harry have been thick as thieves their entire lives. The two leaned on each other even more after losing their mother, Princess Diana. As adults, the two maintained their close bond, with Harry often joking about how much time he spent with William and Kate Middleton after they married. The relationship between them has always been lauded as a genuine bond.
That bond came under attack when Meghan became a more prominent part of Harry's life. As this was happening, Harry's and William's tracks as royals also began to diverge, leading many to believe Meghan was at the heart of the perceived rift between the two. In Harry & Meghan: An African Journey, which airs in the US this Wednesday, October 23, at 10 p.m. ET on ABC, Harry addresses the rumored rift head-on.
Prince William and Prince Harry have always been extremely close. With just two years between them, the brothers have had a tight bond from the very start. It's a bond that has served them both well through the complicated twists and turns of life as a royal.
In a 2017 discussion on mental health between William, Harry, and Kate Middleton, William attributed their closeness to the events of their lives. "We have been brought closer because of the circumstances. That's the thing. You know, you are uniquely bonded because of what we've been through."
Of course, the most unique of those circumstances was dealing with the loss of their mother in an extremely public way while also being expected to have an "appropriate" reaction because of their royal status.
Harry once revealed to the Telegraph that it was William who encouraged him to get help for all of the emotions he'd bottled up from the time of his mother's death through his late 20s.
"It’s all about timing," Harry said. "And for me personally, my brother, you know, bless him, he was a huge support to me. He kept saying this is not right, this is not normal, you need to talk to [someone] about stuff, it’s OK."
While the brothers have always enjoyed a close relationship, there was a shift that happened around the time of Harry and Meghan's engagement. The tabloid press latched onto the idea that Meghan had drawn a wedge between the brothers somehow.
William's comment on Harry's engagement shows a cheeky excitement for his brother. "We’re very excited, delighted for them both. We’re wishing them all the happiness in this very exciting time," William said.
He then added, "For me, personally, I hope it means he stays out of my fridge and will stop scrounging my food, which he’s done for the last few years!" This, of course, referenced Harry's continued closeness to his brother, even after William and Kate married.
Their lives began to head in separate directions, however. While Harry and Meghan were on the same page about wanting to live more privately while still fulfilling royal duties, William and Kate were gearing up to one day head the monarchy. Still, the press blamed a slew of things, from Kate and Meghan having issues to William disapproving of the marriage.
Harry set the record straight in Harry & Meghan: An African Journey, which contains a number of candid revelations. He explained, "Inevitably stuff happens. But we’re brothers, we’ll always be brothers. We’re certainly on different paths at the moment."
"I’ll always be there for him and as I know, he’ll always be there for me," Harry continued. "We don’t see each other as much as we used to because we’re so busy but I love him dearly." Harry's statement makes a lot of sense.
"The majority of stuff is created out of nothing," Harry pointed out, a deliberate jab at the endless rumors. "As brothers, we have good days and we have bad days." What Harry is describing seems like the complicated transition from a childhood bond to an adult relationship that all siblings undergo at some point.
The full extent of how damaging the tabloid rumors have been to Harry and Meghan is becoming more clear than ever before. With people hearing it out of the royals' own mouths, especially the comparisons to Princess Diana's own struggles with the media, it's becoming clear that Harry and Meghan are truly hurting.
The emotional revelations have reached William, of course. The future king is reportedly very "worried" about his brother and sister-in-law, who are believed to be "in a fragile place" according to palace sources who have spoken to BBC.
The couple will be taking some time off during the latter part of the year to focus on family and what's important. Hopefully, they will be doing so with the full support of William and Kate, as well as the rest of the royal family.
