It sounded like true brotherly love — but was it all just for the cameras?
As Prince Harry's media blitz continues, let's look back at a seemingly happier time for him and his big bro.
Prince William and Prince Harry's relationship has been the subject of media scrutiny for quite some
time now. When their mother, Princess Diana, died in a car crash, William and Harry were 15 and 12,
respectively. The tragedy forged a unique bond between them, with author Katie Nicholl
claiming that their father, then-Prince Charles, didn't pay enough attention to them at the time.
Biographer Andrew Morton wrote in a December 2019 issue of Royals Monthly,
But, in a move that alienated him from his brother,
Harry and wife Meghan Markle announced their departure from the royal family in
2020. A source told People that the brothers' relationship was "forever changed," adding,
Since Harry's move stateside, the media speculates that the pair continue to be at
odds with one another, with no intention of patching things up anytime soon.
Add in Queen Elizabeth II's death, Charles' ascension to the throne,
and one controversial Netflix documentary — and things are increasingly complicated. Let's
reminisce on simpler times, like when William supported his brother after he proposed to Meghan.
Prior to stepping down from royal duties, Prince Harry had a good relationship with his brother's
wife, Kate Middleton — even reportedly calling her "the big sister he never had." Likewise,
Prince William appeared to support the Duke of Sussex in his relationship
with Meghan Markle. He and Kate said in a statement after Harry popped the question,
On a separate occasion, William again expressed happiness over Harry's engagement,
telling the media that he was "very excited, delighted for them both," before joking,
"For me personally, I hope it means he stays out of my fridge and will stop
him scrounging off of my food, which he's done over the last few years."
William was joined in his well wishes by other members of the royal family, including then-Prince
Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles. Camilla even told Channel 5 that, "America's loss is
our gain," in a nod to Meghan's citizenship. The royal family's backing makes sense on paper. Plus,
Harry apparently had an extensive vetting process when it came to his significant others.
"He had a list, apparently, of what he was looking for."
"Let's not go there."
While all of the royals publicly expressed their delight over Prince Harry's engagement,
that doesn't mean they didn't have concerns behind closed doors. According to People,
Prince William dated Kate Middleton for eight years, and he felt that his younger brother's
nearly year-long courtship wasn't sufficient time to get to know Meghan Markle before proposing.
When Harry ignored his brother's advice, William reportedly turned to his uncle,
Charles Spencer, resulting in an "even more bitter explosion," author Robert
Lacey wrote in his book "Battle of Brothers." Lacey explained,
Apparently, this was the start of tension between the two, but things went even further south after
"Megxit", a.k.a Harry and Meghan's decision to step down from their royal duties. Before
that drama went down though, William and Kate disagreed over the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's
decision to live outside of Kensington Palace. A source told People at the time,
All things considered — including Harry and Meghan's Netflix docuseries — it's likely
there's even more division among the foursome now,
although relationships can always turn around for the better.