According to royal insiders, the once-close brotherly relationship between Prince William and Prince Harry appears to have broken down beyond repair, despite attempts to mediate by Prince William's wife, Kate Middleton.
Ever since Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle gave Oprah Winfrey a bombshell interview in 2021, accusing an unknown member of the royal family of racism, the relationship between the siblings has been irretrievably cold. Prince Harry redoubled down on his efforts to portray Kate as an unfavorable image with his sexual memoir "Spare" and a Netflix documentary, reigniting tensions.
While Kate tried to de-escalate the situation and also saw the value of reconciling for the sake of family, her efforts were reportedly ignored on William's issue. Prince Harry's public betrayal hurt the future king deeply, and he was unwilling and unable to be forgiven.
A royal insider said: "Kate did her duty as a peacemaker and extended an olive branch to Prince Harry, as any good sister-in-law would do." ”
But Prince William's anger is much deeper – he feels that Prince Harry has disrespected the royal system and damaged his reputation in the process. In his opinion, this is irretrievable. ”
According to multiple *** William, he was particularly unhappy with Prince Harry's way of discussing Kate in his recent creative projects, and in the early days of their union, he felt she was cold or unwelcoming to Meghan.
One courtier revealed: "The brothers had a conflict for a while, but in the end it was Prince Harry who betrayed Kate, which made William unbearable. ”
While Kate may be willing to ignore past scorn for the sake of family harmony, her loyalty to her husband is unwavering. William seems ready to disown his siblings.
Out of loyalty to her family, Kate may reluctantly leave her past behind. A royal aide noted, "But William will never forgive Prince Harry for throwing Kate into the pit." ”
She was the future queen, the mother of his three children, and the love of his life – and William would defend her honor to the death. ”
Of course, this painful ** haunts everyone involved. Prince Harry had hoped that by opening up about his experience in candid interviews and writing, he might be able to get closer to his brother. On the contrary, it has made them more alienated than ever.
In stark contrast to Prince William's desire for distance, both King Charles III and Princess Kate are said to want to repair their relationship. Charles, in particular, did not want his reign to be affected by ongoing family disputes. However, as long as William sticks to his uncompromising stance, any attempt at reconciliation will face an uphill battle.
While the brothers were once as close as thieves, William is now reluctant to trust Prince Harry and forgive the "trash" that has been staged internationally, with one courtier calling them "trash".
Interestingly, Kate seems to have grown tired of the endless conflict and wants a resolution – although her husband doesn't quite agree with this view at the moment.
As one source explained: "She may have been forced to do it, but in the end, she's glad she did." This kind of little thing has been dragged on for too long, and if it leads to Prince William and Harry being reunited like brothers, Kate won't regret it. Neither should Meghan. Hopefully, she, like everyone else, wants to see William and Prince Harry reconcile. ”
Now, Kate continues to work hard to support her husband through difficult times and will always be a dutiful partner. Whether in public or private, she always stood by William's side and silently supported him.
Although the rift shows no signs of healing, and Cambridge does not seem to apologize, especially William himself, Kate retains her characteristic elegance. She keeps communication open, hoping that the wounded feelings will heal one day.
Only time will tell if further harm can be avoided, or whether this painful ** represents the permanent end of what was once the closest brotherhood of the Windsor royal family. At the moment, all efforts at mediation seem to be stalled – the couple and their children live parallel lives, and William refuses to forgive old wounds. But as they say, where there is life, there is hope. As long as Princess Kate continues to play the role of mediator, the slim prospects for unity will endure.