The relationship between Prince William and Prince Harry has been fraught for years now, and Harry and Meghan Markle‘s interview with Oprah Winfrey offered some vague explanations as to why. Harry detailed his issues with the Royal Family — the unwillingness to help Meghan when she was in a mental health crisis, the feigned impotence over relentless tabloid cruelty, the not-so-subtle racism over Archie — but when he mentioned his brother by name, he made sure to mention positive things.
“As I said before, I love William to bits,” Harry explained. “We’ve been through hell together, and we have a shared experience, but we are on different paths. The relationship is space at the moment and time heals all things, hopefully.” Since then, William has made his displeasure over Harry’s decision to speak about family issues in a public manner known. “It’s still raw,” a friend of William’s told The Sunday Times. “He’s very upset by what’s happened, though absolutely intent that he and Harry’s relationship will heal in time.”
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“Once he got over the anger of how things happened, he was left with the absence of his brother,” another source explained. “They shared everything about their lives, an office, a foundation, meetings together most days and there was a lot of fun along the way. He’ll miss it forever.” Another source challenged the narrative that Harry put forth that William was trapped, calling it “way off the mark. He has a path set for him and he’s completely accepting of his role.”
In spite of this tension, the brothers are set to reunite at the installation of a statue in honor of their mother, Princess Diana, on what would have been her 60th birthday. The statue will be in the Sunken Garden of Kensington Palace. “The Princes hope that the statue will help all those who visit Kensington Palace to reflect on their mother’s life and her legacy,” read a statement from August 2020.
Though they might be in a rough place now, the brothers are determined to put on a united front at the event. “For all their differences, the two are still totally bonded on preserving their mother’s legacy,” a source told Us Weekly. “It’s a real shame that they’re on such bad terms going into this because it’s going to be very emotional.”