Princes William and Harry were far more than just brothers — they were best friends. The death of their mother, Princess Diana, when they were still young boys, combined with life under constant public scrutiny and the strict demands of royal life, forced them to rely on each other. When Kate Middleton entered the picture around 2007, the two became an inseparable trio.
Kate became an important figure in Harry's life, providing warmth and affection amid the cold formality of palace life. "When Prince Harry needed a shoulder to lean on or a comforting meal, he turned to Kate," one source said. "After Princess Diana's tragic death, Harry was left with a huge emotional void. He grew up without a maternal figure to rely on and when Kate joined the family, that changed."
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Princes William and Harry were far more than just brothers — they were best friends
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That dynamic, of course, unraveled after Meghan Markle — Harry's future wife — joined the royal family.
As Harry prepares to return to Britain with Meghan and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, it's worth revisiting one of the royal family's most complicated relationships.
'Kate is the sister I never had'
William, Harry and Kate were exceptionally close. Harry often referred to Kate as "the sister I've never had and always wanted," fueling hopes among royal watchers that he might one day return to those feelings and repair the relationship.
When William and Kate announced their engagement in 2010, Harry said: "I've known Kate for years, and it's fantastic that she is becoming part of the family."
The first cracks in the royal bubble appeared in 2016 when Harry and Meghan began dating. By 2018, just months after their royal wedding, tensions had erupted.
Early reports claimed Markle and Middleton had fallen out, with the dispute allegedly escalating before Harry and Meghan's wedding. According to reports at the time, Meghan made Kate cry after criticizing Princess Charlotte's bridesmaid dress.
From there, relations only deteriorated. Harry sided with his wife and his relationship with William and Kate steadily unraveled. Today, the Sussexes and the Prince and Princess of Wales are said to have no relationship at all.
There have been several opportunities for reconciliation, all prompted by family tragedies. The first came after Prince Philip's death in April 2021, the second following Queen Elizabeth II's death in September 2022, the third after King Charles announced his cancer diagnosis in February 2024 and the fourth a month later when Kate revealed she was also undergoing cancer treatment. None of those moments led to a lasting reconciliation.
From there, relations only deteriorated
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Meghan, Kate and the growing divide
The reported tensions between Meghan and Kate intensified despite repeated efforts by the late queen to ease relations.
"Meghan and Kate are two very different women," a source close to the royal family told the Daily Mail. "They simply don't get along."
According to those reports, Harry and Meghan moved out of Kensington Palace and into Frogmore Cottage on the Windsor estate, despite both brothers having residences within the royal estate.
Reports also claimed Meghan was unhappy with the late queen's housing decision and wanted the couple to move into another royal residence, now occupied by the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, who reportedly refused to vacate it. The queen ultimately intervened and is said to have spoken to Harry about Meghan's approach, which she believed was causing significant disruption within the palace.
Stepping away from royal life
In January 2020, Harry and Meghan stunned the royal family by announcing, without prior notice, that they would step back from their royal roles. The decision had not been coordinated with Charles, William or Queen Elizabeth.
The couple reportedly expected to retain some royal privileges, including taxpayer-funded security, despite leaving official duties. Instead, Queen Elizabeth ended those security arrangements and required the Sussexes to repay 2.4 million pounds (about 3,205,548 dollars) in public funds used to renovate Frogmore Cottage.
Harry and Meghan stunned the royal family by announcing that they would step back from their royal roles
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Harry and Meghan reacted publicly. Their criticism of the royal family began with their bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey, where they accused unnamed members of the family of racism. It continued with several documentary series and culminated in Harry's memoir, Spare, a 407-page account filled with deeply personal revelations about royal life.
Harry's allegations against William
In Spare, Harry described a confrontation with William in 2019 at Nottingham Cottage, where Harry and Meghan were living at the time.
According to Harry, William called Meghan "difficult," "rude" and "abrasive," echoing descriptions Harry said had appeared repeatedly in the media.
Harry said he confronted William, telling him he expected better from his older brother. The exchange escalated into shouting.
Harry accused William of behaving "like the heir" and failing to understand why Harry refused to accept being the royal "spare." William insisted he was trying to help.
"Are you serious?" Harry said in reply. "Help me? Sorry — is that what you call this? Helping me?
According to Harry, William became enraged.
"He grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor. I landed on the dog's bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me. I lay there for a moment, dazed, then got to my feet and told him to get out."
'I didn't attack you, Harold'
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Harry said William later urged him to hit back, reminding him of childhood fights between them, but Harry refused.
William allegedly returned later to apologize before calling Harry and saying, "You don’t need to tell Meg about this."
Harry replied: "You mean that you attacked me?"
"I didn't attack you, Harold," William allegedly responded.
Harry said he did not immediately tell Meghan but instead contacted his therapist. When Meghan returned home and noticed scratches and bruises on his back, he told her what had happened.
"wasn't that surprised, and wasn't all that angry," Harry wrote. "She was terribly sad."
A relationship beyond repair?
William was reportedly the first to cut off contact despite Harry's repeated attempts to repair the relationship.
"Part of this role, part of this job, this family, being under the pressure which it’s under, inevitably stuff happens," Harry said in one of several documentaries about the family rift. "But we’re brothers, we’ll always be brothers. I’ll always be there for him and as I know, he’ll always be there for me. We don’t see each other as much as we used to because we’re so busy but I love him dearly."
Harry acknowledged that their relationship was no longer what it once was but insisted he still loved William, while also blaming much of the conflict on media coverage.
Since then, however, the distance between the brothers has only grown.
Last June, Harry reportedly sent invitations to both Charles and William for the 2027 Invictus Games, deliberately sending them two years in advance to avoid scheduling conflicts. Neither responded.
Meanwhile, reports have claimed that Kate struggled emotionally over the estrangement.
Harry reportedly sent invitations to both Charles and William for the 2027 Invictus Games
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"She wishes she could speak to Harry. She misses him and fears she'll never be close to him again," a source told Us Weekly.
Another source claimed Kate had suffered anxiety because of the family breakdown, though those reports have not been independently verified.
Harry and Meghan, however, have continued to speak publicly about the royal family. Meghan has discussed private exchanges with Kate in media interviews, including revealing that Kate once sent her flowers in an attempt to make peace, which Meghan said was not enough.
According to sources close to William and Kate, "the door is bolted shut right now."
Harry's return to Britain
Although King Charles has reportedly invited Harry and Meghan to stay at a royal estate during their visit, sources say William strongly opposed the idea and has no intention of meeting either Harry or Meghan.
Rroyal commentator Dan Wootton told Fox News that William and Kate have no interest in reconciling with Harry and his wife.
Although King Charles has reportedly invited Harry and Meghan to stay at a royal estate during their visit, sources say William strongly opposed the idea
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Another source close to the Prince and Princess of Wales said their position has not changed since January 2020.
"If the king wants to host the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, that's entirely his decision," the source said. "It has no bearing on William and Kate."
Harry's visit is expected early this month, though reports suggest he may once again travel alone because his family will not receive taxpayer-funded security.
Although Charles reportedly offered accommodation and has explored possible security arrangements, Harry and Meghan have yet to publicly respond.
A source close to Harry said he could not bring Meghan and the children because his request for publicly funded security had been rejected.
A source close to Harry said he could not bring Meghan and the children because his request for publicly funded security had been rejected
(Photo: Instagram)
Another source accused Britain's Home Office and the committee responsible for royal security of creating conditions that make it impossible for the family to visit Britain safely.
Harry has repeatedly argued, including during an unsuccessful legal challenge, that he cannot safely bring his family to his homeland without official security. After stepping back from royal duties in January 2020, he lost his entitlement to taxpayer-funded protection.
Once, William and Harry were the two brothers who captivated the world. Together they faced relentless media attention, comforted each other after their mother's death and seemed to understand each other without words.
After eight years of explosive interviews, a tell-all memoir, mutual accusations and repeated reconciliation attempts that failed to produce results, the distance between them appears greater than ever. The story of two inseparable brothers has become an ongoing family tragedy with no clear ending in sight.
Once, William and Harry were the two brothers who captivated the world
(Photo: Gettyimages)