The British royal family has been no stranger to controversies, but the recent revelations from Prince Harry's memoir, "Spare," have added fuel to the already blazing fire of familial discord. Notably, the Duke of Sussex's candid disclosures have reportedly strained his two-decade-long friendship with Kate, the Princess of Wales.
In his memoir, Prince Harry has made several allegations against members of the royal family, with some of the most pointed remarks directed at Kate Middleton. According to royal expert Katie Nicholl, Harry's decision to break the unspoken royal rule of maintaining silence on family matters has deeply hurt the Princess of Wales. "When you think of the personal revelations, and I think you can call them snide remarks made about Kate in Spare, Harry broke the one rule, and that is staying silent on family matters," Nicholl stated.
Among the various claims, Harry has frequently used Kate as a point of comparison to highlight the negative press attention Meghan Markle received in Britain. He also alleged that Kate, in collaboration with Prince William, had encouraged him to wear a Nazi uniform to a party back in 2005. Furthermore, the memoir delves into the 2018 incident involving Princess Charlotte's bridesmaid dress, which reportedly brought Meghan to tears. Harry wrote that during this disagreement, Meghan commented that Kate had a "baby brain" since she had given birth to Prince Louis just a month prior. This remark was perceived by Kate as an insinuation against her intelligence.
The memoir's revelations have only deepened the rift between the once-close siblings, Prince Harry and Prince William. The tension between the two has been palpable, especially after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's decision to step back from their royal duties and relocate to the U.S. Their subsequent interviews and documentaries have further widened the chasm.
Duncan Larcombe, a royal analyst, commented on the situation, stating, "Some of what Harry and Meghan have said, particularly about Kate, was so personal, and it's going to take years to heal the hurt because of the damage that's been done."
Despite the strained relations, the former "Fab Four" of millennial royals, which included Prince William, Kate, Prince Harry, and Meghan, briefly reunited to address the public following Queen Elizabeth II's death in September 2022. However, the chances of a full reconciliation seem slim. As Nicholl observed, "She [Kate] acted very much as the peacekeeper, she tried to get the brothers back on an even keel, and for Kate to be dragged into this mucky saga was upsetting for her and certainly did infuriate William."
In the intricate web of royal relationships, it remains to be seen if time will heal the wounds or if the divide will become an enduring legacy of contemporary royal history.
