The ongoing rift between Prince William and his brother, Prince Harry, has been further exacerbated by the recent revelation of Princess Kate Middleton's cancer diagnosis. According to a source close to the royal family, the Prince and Princess of Wales have purposely excluded Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, from sensitive information regarding Kate's health, citing concerns over trust and the potential for leaked information.
"He and Meghan [Markle] were completely blindsided by the news," a source claimed, according to In Touch, revealing that the couple learned of Kate's condition through her emotional video announcement on March 22, along with the rest of the world. The source added that during Harry's visit to London on February 6 to see his father, King Charles, who had also revealed his own cancer diagnosis, "he knew Kate had been in surgery, but Harry had no idea how bad it was."
The decision to withhold such sensitive information from Harry and Meghan was reportedly a deliberate one, with the source explaining that after the Duke of Sussex shared details of multiple text messages, phone calls, and private conversations with his family in interviews and his memoir, Spare, "he simply can't be trusted with news this sensitive."
Kate's focus, according to the source, was on her own healing and the well-being of her children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. "The last thing she needed was to worry about her health issues getting leaked," the source added.
In response to the news, Harry and Meghan issued a statement wishing "health and healing for Kate and the family," and expressing their hope that the royal couple would be able to recover "privately and in peace." However, the source noted that while the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have reached out to Kate, "their conversations are usually brief," with William and Kate being "careful not to say anything too personal" to avoid drama.
The irony of William and Kate's concern about Harry's discretion has not gone unnoticed, given the prince's past accusations against the British press for spying on his phone and his fellow royals for allegedly collaborating with reporters. In 2023, Harry defended his decision to tell his story, saying, "The level of planting and leakings from the family means that in my mind, they have written countless books, certainly millions of words have been dedicated to trying to trash my wife and myself."
The exclusion of Harry from this health crisis only serves to highlight the deepening rift between the brothers. "This is obviously a really trying time for William, so it's especially heartbreaking that he can't even lean on his own brother for support," the source said. "It's clear they'll never be close again."
Sources close to William have also emphasized the heir's belief that Harry and Meghan "cannot be trusted," particularly in the wake of King Charles' own cancer diagnosis, as reported by The Mirror. While Harry has allegedly expressed his willingness to step into a temporary royal role to assist his father, a source close to William has stated that there is "no chance" the heir would allow his brother to return.
"Whatever has been discussed between William and the King is private, but it is absolutely and categorically clear that he (William) would not allow Harry to return," the source said. "If anyone is going to take on more duties it will be William and that isn't even on the agenda for now. His main focus is on his father's health, his family and what is best for the monarchy. There is a zero per cent chance Harry is coming back in any capacity."
As the royal family navigates this challenging period, the divide between the brothers appears to be growing ever wider. With trust at an all-time low and the future of the monarchy at stake, the possibility of a genuine reconciliation between William and Harry seems increasingly remote.
