Inside Prince William And Harry's Complicated Relationship

Prince William and Prince Harry have been through a lot. For much of their lives, they functioned as a unit, facing life’s challenges as a pair. But things seem to have been a bit different in recent years. Not long after Harry married Meghan Markle, rumors started to spread that the two royal brothers had fallen out. But was there any truth to the whispers? And if so, can they put it all behind them now that their father is King?

Historic feuding

To some, it may seem surprising that Harry and William were ever that close to begin with. Royal history is packed full of tales of feuding brothers, after all. And it doesn't help that tales from William and Harry’s childhood imply that the two were, perhaps unintentionally, raised as an heir and a spare.

The heir and the spare

According to royal biographer Ingrid Seward, for instance, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother in particular favored William, knowing that one day he would be the future king. But Princess Diana apparently worked hard to ensure that Harry didn’t feel as though he was second best.

Bonding experience

Tragically, though, in 1997 Diana suddenly died in a car crash, and the two boys were left motherless. The harrowing experience seemingly brought them together in a way that nothing else could. In a 2017 clip published by Kensington Palace, William said, “We are uniquely bonded because of what we’ve been through. But even Harry and I over the years have not talked enough about our mother.”

Deep depression

As an adult, Harry revealed that the loss of Diana sent him into a mental health spiral. But he also mentioned that his brother had helped him to get through it. After a long period of forcing himself to feel nothing, Harry finally went to a therapist — after William helped to persuade him to get the assistance he needed, that is. And Meghan also played a part in Harry finding the support that was right for him.