These days, there are no signs of William, Prince of Wales and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex’s feud ending any time soon. Yet, there was a time when these two now-famously estranged brothers were actually close. Hearing how the royal family dynamics were before their rift began makes the current state of their relationship even more heartbreaking. 

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In a recent interview with “60 Minutes Australia,” Grant Harrold — a former butler for King Charles III at Highgrove House — opened up about the closeness the famous brothers shared in their youth. “The two of them were practical jokers. They were a team, where they used to wind each other up,” he explained. According to him, “It was like that all the time. That’s why it’s so sad — how that’s completely changed. It’s extraordinary how much it could change.” 

Unfortunately, Charles reportedly needs help from one key royal to end the feud with Harry once and for all: William. Yet, according to William’s inner circle, that doesn’t sound likely unless something major changes. Insiders claim that William reportedly doesn’t even want Harry to attend his future coronation. One friend told The Times, “They are estranged, which is dreadfully sad.”

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It’s clear that those who know William, Prince of Wales and Prince Harry best find their broken relationship to be upsetting due to how close they once were. Yet, it seems that the strength of their relationship may have been what allowed the feud to transpire in the first place. Expert on the royal family Katie Nicholl said in TLC’s “Kate v. Meghan: Princesses at War?” that William and Harry’s close friendship may have prompted William to cross a boundary that ultimately led to their falling out. 

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When Harry started dating Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, the timing raised eyebrows. William reportedly brought up the relationship’s fast pace to his brother sometime after the couple’s engagement. “And being close to Harry, probably the only person close enough to say to Harry, ‘This seems to be moving quickly, are you sure?'” Nicholl said, per Cosmopolitan. According to her, “I think what was meant as well-intended brotherly advice just riled Harry. Harry is hugely protective of Meghan. He saw that as criticism. He interpreted that as his brother not really being behind this marriage, this union, and I don’t think things have been quite right ever since.” Evidently, William and Harry shared a strong bond, but perhaps it wasn’t strong enough to allow questioning of Harry’s relationship with Meghan. 

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