The royal family is clearly dealing with a lot right now. As Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's announcement continues to send ripples across the entire world, people are looking closely to see how Harry and Meghan's relationships with other members of the royal family are affected by this news. One of the relationships under the microscope is that between Harry and Prince William.
There have been many issues projected onto the relationship between the brothers, particularly since Harry and Meghan were married. William obviously has different expectations placed upon him as a future king, something that has been said to put the two on different paths. Harry and William have commented minimally on it, and only in support of one another.
A recent report indicated William had had enough with Harry after the announcement. The Sunday Times posted a quote that was allegedly from William that said, "I’ve put my arm around my brother all our lives and I can’t do that anymore; we’re separate entities. I’m sad about that." Harry and William have now come out to shoot down the rumored quote, their only joint statement in the midst of all the chaos.
A new report has come out about how the Sussex announcement is impacting the relationship between Prince William and Prince Harry. The Sunday Times issued a report saying that William was expressing disappointment in Harry and Meghan's announcement. In a rare move, Harry and William have released a statement shutting the report down.
The Sunday Times report named the current situation among the royal family "the Windsors' civil war." The outlet also published a quote that was attributed to Prince William, claiming he was "sorrowful" about the situation. "I’ve put my arm around my brother all our lives and I can’t do that anymore; we’re separate entities," it quoted William as saying to a friend.
"I’m sad about that," the alleged quote continues. "All we can do, and all I can do, is try and support them and hope that the time comes when we’re all singing from the same page. I want everyone to play on the team."
The reaction to the quote was split. While those who think Harry and Meghan are out of line continued to slam the couple for creating this situation, those supporting the Sussexes saw it as a prime example of why the couple made their decision to withdraw from the royal family. There's a lot that's uncertain about what the future holds, but the royals did want to clear this one up.
The brothers released a statement slamming the report on Monday. While they didn't call out the particular article, they did note that some reports surfacing were "potentially harmful." It goes a long way in showing that William recognizes the damaging role of the media in Harry and Meghan's life and how his own supposed words and actions are thrown into the mix.
The statement released by their spokespeople shuts down any speculation that the brothers are on different sides. "Despite clear denials, a false story ran in a UK newspaper today speculating about the relationship between The Duke of Sussex and The Duke of Cambridge," it reads.
"For brothers who care so deeply about the issues surrounding mental health, the use of inflammatory language in this way is offensive and potentially harmful."
Harry defended his relationship with William in Harry & Meghan: An African Journey. "We are brothers. We will always be brothers," he noted. "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."
Harry also seemed to allude to the media's role in continuing reports that the relationship between the brothers is strained. "The majority of the stuff is created out of nothing," he added. "But as brothers, you know, you have good days, you have bad days."
Talks occurred at Sandringham to figure out the particulars of what Harry and Meghan's future will look like. At the conclusion of the talks, Queen Elizabeth released a statement updating the public on some of the particulars. Despite initial reports, it seems that the family is quite willing to work with Harry and Meghan on making their progressive new role a reality.
"Today my family had very constructive discussions on the future of my grandson and his family," the statement begins.
"My family and I are entirely supportive of Harry and Meghan's desire to create a new life as a young family. Although we would have preferred them to remain full-time working Members of the Royal Family, we respect and understand their wish to live a more independent life as a family while remaining a valued part of my family."
"Harry and Meghan have made clear that they do not want to be reliant on public funds in their new lives," it continued.
"It has therefore been agreed that there will be a period of transition in which the Sussexes will spend time in Canada and the UK. These are complex matters for my family to resolve, and there is some more work to be done, but I have asked for final decisions to be reached in the coming days."
The news confirms that Queen Elizabeth will allow the couple to step down as senior members of the royal family. The statement does include some details as to what to expect next. It isn't so expository that Harry and Meghan can't have their peace in the meantime, which seems like a step in the right direction.
Whether you're for or against Harry and Meghan's decision, you cannot deny that the media has been particularly cruel to the couple. This latest falsely attributed quote is a perfect example of the kind of behavior they've come to resent. It isn't unreasonable for them to do what's necessary to protect their family.
Their decision also takes into consideration a lot of what they've been scrutinized for, particularly how their lifestyle costs taxpayers. By achieving financial independence, they'll be free from that and provide the public with the "slimmed down" royal family the public has often called for. There's no pleasing everyone, but they're doing their best to be respectful to the royal family while living out the life they want.
