In a book written by the historian Robert Lacey secrets from the royal house are revealed • What caused the almost complete disconnect that exists between the brothers?
"The conduct of a prima donna."
Harry, Megan, Kate and William
Photography:
EPA
The London Bridge has not yet collapsed, but when it comes to the shaky relationship between the brothers in the British royal house William and Harry, the situation is certainly not alarming.
A new book called "Brothers: Battle Of William Harry and the Inside Story of a Family in Tumult" written by historian and biographer Robert Lacey, reveals the strained relations between the princes and the British royal family, detailing the crisis points and events over the years that exacerbated the rift between the two. The almost complete disconnect that prevails between them today.
One of the serious crisis points came in May 2019, when Archie, the son of Harry and Megan was born.
The palace released an official announcement of the birth eight hours after Megan gave birth, which managed to greatly upset William and his wife Duchess Kate Middleton.
"William was not impressed by the conduct of Harry and Megan's prima donna in an attempt to conceal the birth of their son," the book reads.
"As an act of protest, William and Kate waited eight days until they arrived to visit and meet the new prince officially."
Lacey goes on to detail in the book how the Queen was worried about William's condition after his parents' divorce, and even revealed to one of her advisers the fear that he would follow in the footsteps of his mother Diana and suffer a real mental breakdown.
"She began meeting with him weekly for regular lunches, thus turning him from a fragile schoolboy on the verge of collapse into a resilient and tough man," it read.
Lacey further reveals in the book that for years, especially during the tense relationship between his father Prince Charles and his mother Diana, William felt contempt for his father, something that has not been completely overcome to this day.
Harry, Lacey wrote, knew from a young age that he would not be king when he came to inherit his grandmother today, and by the age of 4 he had already declared "I can do anything, because I am only the alternate offspring."
William was the first of the brothers to meet Camilla.
While Diana's friends protested, claiming it was an injury to the memory of his late mother, William insisted on knowing who would eventually become his stepmother after her marriage to Charles.
While William met her back in 1998, Harry agreed to meet her only a year later.
Five years into William and Kate's relationship, Kate received an official invitation from the Queen for a Christmas dinner, a tribute of historic importance that was never made to anyone who was not an official family member.
Kate, who was still only in the status of William's "spouse", refused to come as long as the two did not officially change their status to engaged, and chose to spend the holiday with her family at the venue.
Lacey adds and reveals in the book that William did not hide from Harry the fact that he is unhappy with the relationship between him and Megan, and that he thinks they are progressing too fast.
When the tension between the brothers intensified and William realized that Harry was unwilling to listen to him, he enlisted Charles Spencer, the brother of his late mother, to help him.
"The intervention on the part of the uncle only exacerbated the already strained relations between the brothers," Lacey revealed, "and this led to an explosion."
"Harry was furious with William for dragging their uncle into the matter, but did not blame Charles himself for realizing what was the motive behind his desire to help."
Lacey adds that the Dukes of Sussex and the Dukes of Windsor did not see eye to eye with the charitable activities in which they took part in the force of their state and state obligations, and this only added to the tension that existed between them.
In 2019 the palace posted a picture with the Queen, Charles, Prince William and Prince George.
That same year, Harry and Megan "skipped" the traditional Christmas dinner with the Queen.
According to insiders, this was not a coincidence.
"The picture was taken a week before Christmas," it was said, "and it was meant to convey a message to Harry from William about the heir apparent chain."
The straw that broke the camel's back and led to the almost complete disconnect that currently exists between the brothers, was Harry and Megan's announcement of their retirement from the royal family in January 2020 and their move to the US. From that incident one could easily discern the charged relationship between the brothers and their wives.Since then, figures close to the royal family have been silent almost completely except for a brief resumption of the relationship between the two when their father, Prince Charles fell ill in Corona.
