Harry and William's 'marriages to very different women' changed bond forever

15 March 2024 , 12:35

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The couples don't see eye-to-eye

Prince Harry and Prince William were very close growing up, but the brothers have become estranged in recent years.

The Duke of Sussex has been very vocal about the breakdown of his relationship with his brother, even accusing William of "screaming and shouting" at him during one dramatic showdown. And it's not just the Prince of Wales Harry has taken aim at.

He's also hit out at William's wife Princess Kate and accused her of making Meghan Markle cry just days before the Sussexes tied the knot. Meghan and Kate are not close and it's thought this tension has rubbed off on Harry and William.

READ MORE: Meghan Markle 'ran circles around the palace' before dramatic Royal Family exit

Meghan Markle is not close with Princess Kate (In Pictures via Getty Images)

Royal expert and author Tom Quinn told The Mirror: "It’s extraordinary when you think how close William and Harry were as children, and in their early teens, but their marriages, to very different women, changed the chemistry of the relationship, and there is no going back.

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"Growing up in the royal family with all the deference the two boys experienced has produced two very proud men – neither is prepared to back down and be the first to extend an olive branch. This is partly because they both feel special - as if being a member of the royal family is an achievement rather than a matter of the luck of birth, but it also has to do with losing their mother when they were so young."

Princess Diana died in a car crash in Paris on August 31, 1997, while her driver was fleeing paparazzi. At the time, William was 15 years old, while Harry was just 12.

Prince William and Prince Harry will struggle to mend their relationship (Getty Images)

Tom said: "I spoke to a former Kensington Palace staffer who said both William and Harry's emotional development stopped when their mother died. So, they don't have the emotional maturity now to let bygones be bygones."

William and Harry last appeared in public at the same time during King Charles's Coronation last May. However, the pair didn't interact at the ceremony. Harry also didn't see his brother when he made a brief return to the UK last month.

The Duke of Sussex flew to London from California after his father King Charles was diagnosed with cancer. The pair sat down for a half-hour conversation, but Harry and William didn't reunite.

A source told The Mirror there was "nothing in the diary" for them to meet, with William reportedly focusing completely on Princess Kate's surgery recovery. However, another insider said Harry would have welcomed the chance to see his brother if possible. They said: "The Duke's primary reason to travel to the UK is to visit his father. If the opportunity were to arise to see the Prince of Wales then the Duke would have gladly accepted it."

Jessica Gibb