WILLIAM TELLS HARRY ‘YOU’LL REGRET THIS FOREVER’
With the rogue prince set to be a no-show, the future king has had enough
When feuding princes William and Harry jointly attended an intimate unveiling of the statue they had commissioned together in honour of their late mother at Kensington Palace in July, their long-suffering family and friends dared to hope it would be the first step towards brotherly reconciliation.
After all, it was the memory of their mother that kept the Wales boys tightly bonded for almost 20 years – until Harry’s bride Meghan Markle entered the palace.
But those fervent hopes were dashed last week when it was confirmed that Harry, Meghan, 40, and their children Archie, two, and Lilibet, four months, would surprisingly not be returning to London for a belated party to celebrate their mother’s statue now the pandemic travel restrictions have been lifted.
FLYING SOLO
At the time of going to print, British papers had reported that William, 39, would be representing Diana’s sons solo this week, after what our insiders say was yet another “ugly confrontation” with Harry. “William wanted his brother to be there, despite it all,” says a source. “But he became increasingly concerned that Harry and Meghan might use the event for commercial gain. They have all sorts of Netflix productions going on and William was dismayed to see pictures of Harry with a microphone wire hanging out from under his T-shirt when the Sussexes were in New York recently.
“William aired his suspicion that Harry might secretly film or record Diana’s party, and Harry hit the roof. He pulled the pin and essentially declared he was never coming back to the UK. William, meanwhile, feels he was totally justified in asking point blank, because he will not risk yet more reputational damage to his family.”
‘There’s only so much disrespect that William can stand’
The insider says William is used to his younger brother’s “flash temper”, but admits
“it does seem at this point that if Harry doesn’t put on a united front in memory of their mother, there’s no going back”.
Our source says William has confessed to close friends that he harbours a deeper fear for his wayward younger brother, 37, especially if he has closed the door on his British family.
“William has never been convinced by Meghan and her motives for marrying into the family, and he does quietly worry their marriage won’t survive once Harry’s royal connections dry up,” says the insider.
FEARS FOR HARRY
“Meghan’s made a business out of trading off the Mountbatten-windsors, and she’s already frustrated that the family is stonewalling things like allowing her to christen her daughter at Windsor Castle.
“William fears she will take that out on Harry – and if she leaves him, he’ll have no one. William doesn’t want Harry to live to regret turning his back on his family, but there’s only so much disrespect that he, as the older brother and future king, can stand.”