Prince William Admits That He’s “Worried” About Prince Harry In Emotional Interview
Prince William and his younger brother Prince Harry were very close throughout their childhoods and most of their adult lives. However, now that they're both married with kids, and Harry splits his time between the UK and North America, the brothers have begun to drift apart. But now Harry's admission that he and wife Meghan are having a difficult time adjusting to life in the spotlight with their young son has raised concerns with William. After the eldest brother of the British royal family expressed his concern in an interview, the public now seems to be worried about Harry, too.
The Brothers Are Close, But Still Have Their Tiffs
Royal brothers Prince William and Prince Harry have had a close bond since they were young that only grew stronger with the loss of their mother, Princess Diana in 1997. At the time of her death, William was 15 years old while Harry was only 12.
However, that doesn't mean they don't have their fair share of disagreements, just as other siblings do. But when you have an argument with your sibling, it likely doesn't end up as international news, as it does with William and Harry.
Their Lives Have Always Been Covered By The Media
Of course, having been born into the British royal family, William and Harry have been photographed and followed for their entire lives. Completely out of their control, their birth announcements, first steps, and the first day of preschool have all been documented and shared with the world.
But as they grew older, and began making more decisions for themselves, William and Harry have taken different paths in life, including how much of their lives they want to be shared with the public.
Their Family Has Always Been In the Spotlight
Unlike many celebrities who choose to step into a life of fame for the first time, William and Harry's family has been famous, as they're the British royal family. Historically, the focus of the family is fulfilling royal duties and following time-honored traditions. However, in modern time, members of the royal family have also had to manage the press hounding them every day for photos and information.
William and Harry's ancestors never had to worry about their love life being broadcast on the internet, or a private photo going viral within hours of being taken.
William and Kate Can't Avoid the Media
Prince William was the first brother to be married, to Kate Middleton in 2011. Knowing that he will likely take the throne during his lifetime, the Duchess of Cambridge has big shoes to fill as the future queen consort.
Inevitably, the couple is not able to dodge the cameras and keep their lives private. They are obligated to make appearances and share their lives with the public that they serve. Most often, Prince Harry was seen by their side.
Harry and Meghan Made Many Appearances, At First
When Prince Harry and Meghan officially became engaged on November 27, 2017, the couple often appeared at events alongside Prince William, Kate, and other members of the British royal family.
The media adored seeing the couples together, bringing a fresh sense of excitement to the royal family that hadn't been experienced since the days of Princess Diana. And of course, the media couldn't get enough of the stunning outfits worn by Kate and Meghan.
The Couples Began Making Appearances Separately
Just months after Harry and Meghan's wedding in 2018, people took notice that the couples weren't making appearances together, oftentimes seen separately, at different events. Many found it unusual, as William and Harry have always been so close, and even after William's marriage to Kate, they were still often seen together.
Not only were the two couples not seen at events together, but candid photos of the foursome and their kids having play dates were nowhere to be seen, too.
Rumors Spread That The Brothers Were Fighting
As photos of the two couples together became increasingly rare, rumors began swirling that William and Harry were fighting. British tabloids published the claims on the front page, further raising questions of whether William and Harry were no longer getting along.
Of course, Kate and Meghan were also pulled into the storyline, as questions were raised about Meghan causing a rift between Harry and the rest of his family, particularly the queen.
Harry and Meghan Released An Emotional Documentary
In October 2019, Harry & Meghan: An African Journey was released. The documentary proved to be very emotional and showed the couple letting their guards down in candid conversations with reporter Tom Bradby.
When Bradby asked Meghan if it would be fair to call her feelings with the media coverage a struggle, she replied in a shaky voice, "Yes." She also offered, "Any woman, especially when they're pregnant, you're really vulnerable."
Harry Also Admitted That He Was Struggling
After Meghan bravely admitted that she was having a hard time battling with all of the attention on her and her baby boy, Harry spoke up and divulged his feelings about the recent media attention on his wife and son, too. Harry admitted that having the press around him was a daily reminder of the impact the tabloids had on his mother's death, as she died in a car accident while being chased by the paparazzi.
He said, "Every single time I see a camera, every single time I hear a click, every single time I see a flash, it takes me straight back, so in that respect, it's the worst reminder of her life as opposed to the best."
Harry Was Expected To Deny The Brotherly Feud, But...
As the documentary continued, reporter Tom Bradby questioned Harry about whether or not the rumors of him and William having a feud were true. At that point, most viewers would expect Harry to deny any disagreements with his older brother, but instead, his response was rather shocking.
He said, "Part of this role and part of this job and this family being under the pressure that it's under, inevitably stuff happens."
Harry Says He and William Are "On Different Paths"
Continuing the interview, Harry said of he and William, "We're certainly on different paths at the moment, but I will always be there for him as I know he'll always be there for me." His response gave somewhat of an answer as to why the couples rarely appear at events together.
He added, "The majority of the stuff is created out of nothing, but as brothers, it's just as I said, you have good days, you have bad days."
Harry Says He Doesn't See His Brother As Often Now
Not only are the two couples not spending much time together, but William and Harry haven't been either. Harry said, "We don't see each other as much as we used to because we're so busy but I love him dearly."
It appears that after becoming a parent, Prince Harry's priorities have shifted from the royal family to his small family of three, with Meghan and Archie. And while William can certainly relate to taking on the role as a new father, with three kids himself, his choices have led him to remain on the path as a senior member of the royal family.
It's Likely Even More Time Will Fall In Between Their Appearances
As the years go by, the time between the two couples' appearances together has widened. When they were seen together in October 2019, it was for the first time since July. And for the Christmas holiday, Harry and Meghan chose to take Archie to British Columbia instead of London, brushing away royal family traditions.
Moving forward, it's likely that the couples won't be pictured together more than a few times a year.
Harry and Meghan's Documentary "Worried" William
It seems as though Prince William is learning about his brother's life at the same time that we are, through the media. After Harry and Meghan's documentary was released, William's later interviews keyed into the fact that he didn't really know how his brother and sister-in-law were feeling at the time.
After seeing the two of them in a vulnerable state, expressing their feelings of anxiety and fear over the media, William honestly admitted that he was worried about them.
He Hopes They're Alright
As William continued to comment on the documentary, it was clear that he didn't know much of Harry's personal life anymore, as it had become increasingly private over the past couple of years, and communication between the brothers reached an all-time low.
Lovingly, William said he hopes that the two are "alright" but he's also concerned about his younger brother's comments about their supposed feud. Clearly, they hadn't touched base before either of the brothers submitted to an interview.
Both Couples Attended The Remembrance Day Celebration
In November 2019, both William and Kate and Harry and Meghan were in attendance at the Remembrance Day celebration. The brothers took part in the ceremony, standing side-by-side as they paid their respects to those lost during the first world war.
If they had any bad blood between them, it wasn't showing. As Harry said, "as brothers, you have good days, you have bad days," it appeared that their tiff had been sidelined and they were okay with being in close company.
Harry Says The Press Is What's Causing The Problems
Circling back to what the feud was stemming from, Harry pointed to the press. "The majority of the stuff is created out of nothing," Harry said. His comments implied that there was no specific argument at all, rather just something the press fabricated for a front-page story.
And even if there was a bump in the road with their relationship, Harry explains that they'll always make it right eventually, stating, "Look, we're brothers. We'll always be brothers."
Public Reaction To Their Relationship Was Intense
Both Prince Harry and Meghan were blindsided by the strong public reaction to their relationship. Meghan told BBC, "There was a misconception that because I have worked in the entertainment industry that this would be something I would be familiar with… But I've never been part of tabloid culture. I’ve never been in pop culture to that degree and lived a relatively quiet life."
Meghan went on to say that she tried to avoid reading any press – positive or negative – and instead she decided to focus solely on nurturing her relationship with Harry.
Prince Harry Issued A Statement in 2016
Shortly after news of their relationship went public, the media and the public were up in arms. So much so, that Meghan Markle and her inner circle were bombarded with unwanted press and harassment.
It got so bad that Prince Harry had to issue a formal statement from the Royal Household to put a stop to it. "Prince Harry is worried about Ms. Markle's safety and is deeply disappointed that he has not been able to protect her. It is not right that a few months into a relationship with him that Ms. Markle should be subjected to such a storm," the statement read.
Prince William Had Something To Say
After the statement was released, there were rumors that Prince William wasn't pleased with his younger brother’s public plea. Those rumors prompted another official statement from the Royal Household, this time on behalf of the Duke of Cambridge.
The statement read: "The Duke of Cambridge absolutely understands the situation concerning privacy and supports the need for Prince Harry to support those closest to him." At the time, sources close to the Princes told the press, “No one wanted to have to put that statement out… But over the course of one weekend things escalated to the extent that Prince Harry felt he had to act.”
