UK: All is not well between royal brothers William, Harry
Princes William and Harry are reportedly struggling to retain their once-close bond nearly a quarter century after the passing of their mother, Princess Diana. "Harry and Wills are barely on speaking terms after Megxit," stated the United Kingdom's The Sun tabloid this month, alluding to Harry and Meghan Markle's choice to move to the United States in 2020, renouncing their frontline royal responsibilities.
Why does this story matter?
On February 6, 2022, the Queen became the first British monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee after 70 years of service, which was attended by both royal brothers. However, ever since Harry and Markle quit frontline royal duties, their involvement in royal functions has reportedly been a matter of speculation. Buckingham Palace has also generally trodden this ground cautiously and with a neutral stance.
Rift between royal brothers is very deep: Report
After William turned 40, he reportedly embraced the royal system, taking on greater responsibilities, while the younger prince, aged 37, abandoned traditions in favor of a life in California. "I suspect...the rift is very deep," Richard Fitzwilliams, a royal commentator, told Daily Mail. However, things were reportedly different before Harry's 2018 marriage to Meghan Markle, when both brothers appeared to share a close bond.
What happened after Harry's marriage?
"This idyllic sort of brotherly relationship that they projected [earlier]...did much to put the monarchy back on track," Ed Owens, a royal historian and author, stated. However, in a 2019 interview, Prince Harry reportedly stated that he and his brother were "on different paths." After a year, in 2020, Harry and Markle made the surprising decision to relocate to the United States.
String of allegations
In March 2021, Markle claimed during the dramatic Oprah Winfrey interview that William's wife Kate Middleton made her cry. The most devastating allegation, though, was that an unidentified royal commented about the skin color of Markle's future mixed-race child. Later, William reportedly stated that the royals were "very much not" a racist family. Both brothers, however, reportedly share an aversion to Britain's tabloid press.
No interaction has recently taken place between both
Harry informed Winfrey that he left the UK to avoid "history repeating itself," comparing Markle's treatment by the media to Princess Diana's hounding. But the brothers' shared media antipathy hasn't helped heal their rift. In July 2021, they barely spoke while unveiling a statue of their mother outside Kensington Palace. Even during Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee in June, they reportedly sat far apart.
There are no plans for brothers to meet soon
The Daily Telegraph reported that "there has been no interaction [between the brothers] whatsoever," citing William's objections to the Winfrey interview. Harry and Markle will return to the UK in September, just three months after their last visit, and will reside on the Queen's Windsor estate, close to William's new house. However, as per reports, there are no plans for the siblings to meet.
