According to a new book, a potential reconciliation meeting between Prince Harry and Prince William never took place because Harry was afraid the press would find out.
According to Valentine Low, author of the upcoming “Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind the Crown,” William, 40, attempted to speak with his brother, whom he suspected was in “crisis,” but the younger royal backed out of the meeting.
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After Prince Harry gave an explosive interview with his wife Meghan Markle while on tour in South Africa, William allegedly messaged Harry to ask if they could meet (via the Sun).
The Duke of Sussex was initially in favour of the chat but became hesitant when his brother explained that due to scheduling conflicts, his private secretary would be aware of the face-to-face conversation.
According to Low, Harry, 38, was so concerned that William’s team would leak the visit to the press that he told the heir to the throne to cancel the meeting, potentially ruining a good chance for the brothers to solve their problems.
The royal siblings’ feud began long before Harry and Markle travelled to South Africa, but the interview, in which Harry confirmed he and his brother were estranged, appeared to be the tipping point.
“We are certainly on different paths at the moment, but I will always be there for him, as I know he will always be there for me,” the Duke of Sussex told Tom Bradby at the time.
Then, when Bradby asked Meghan Markle if she was okay amid the familial rift, the 41-year-old mother of two tearfully responded, “Thank you for asking, because not many people have asked if I’m OK.”
The interview dominated the news, overshadowing William and wife Kate Middleton’s trip to Pakistan at the same time.
According to Low, the now-Prince and Princess of Wales “saw it as a deliberate attempt to knock [them] out of the headlines,” exacerbating the two couples’ already strained relationship.
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Months later, after spending weeks in Canada, the Sussexes announced their retirement from the royal family. The couple and their two children, Archie and Lilibet, have relocated to California.
While she and Harry were in the UK for Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, Meghan reportedly tried to meet with King Charles to “clear the air,” but they were unable to find time to speak privately before she jetted back to the US.
