07 January 2024 , 07:00
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Prince Harry has revealed his brother William's reaction to the news that Meghan Markle was expecting their first child.
While relations between the two royals have soured considerably in recent years, they were on good terms at the time Meghan and Harry found out she was pregnant with their son Archie. And they decided to tell William their happy news on the same day as their cousin Princess Eugenie's wedding in October 2018.
Prince Harry opened up about the moment in his memoir Spare, writing: "Euge was getting married, to Jack, and we were deliriously happy for her, and for ourselves, selfishly, since Jack was one of our favourite people.
"Meg and I were supposed to head off on our first official foreign tour as a married couple, but we delayed the departure several days, so we could be at the wedding. Also, the various gatherings connected to the wedding would give us a chance to pull aside family members one by one and tell them our good news."
He continued: "After the drinks reception, in St George's Hall, Meg and I pulled Willy aside. We were in a big room, suits of armour on the walls. Strange room, strange moment. We whispered the news, and Willy smiled and said we must tell Kate. She was across the room, talking to Pippa. I said we could do it later, but he insisted. So we went and told Kate and she also gave a big smile and hearty congratulations. They both reacted exactly as I'd hoped."
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Harry also opened up about the sweet moment they told his father, King Charles, recalling: "He was delighted to learn that he was going to be a grandfather for a fourth time, his wide smile warmed me."
While Harry did share this touching exchange in Spare, he also took aim at the royal family - including brother William, who he described as both his "beloved brother" and his "archnemesis."
In one excerpt, he alleged that William had physically attacked him during a row about Meghan. The alleged altercation took place at Harry's London home — Nottingham Cottage — in 2019, where William confronted him about "the whole rolling catastrophe" of their relationship and rifts with the press.
The brothers' squabble turned heated when William complained about Meghan, specifically calling her "difficult," "rude" and "abrasive."
"He set down the water, called me another name, then came at me. It all happened so fast. So very fast," Harry wrote. "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."
Harry said that William urged him to hit back but when he refused, William left then returned "looking regretful, and apologised". William also insisted that Harry not tell Meghan about the attack, according tot he Duke, which he didn't do immediately. Instead, he called his therapist.