Prince William and Prince Harry haven’t spoken for years, and many wonder if they will ever mend their fractured relationship.
While Harry openly shared his side of the story in his memoir Spare, William has remained silent—until recently.
From Close Brothers to Strangers
The brothers were once inseparable during childhood, united by tragedy and duty. But after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle left the royal family, their bond shattered. Reports say the two haven’t spoken since Harry’s departure, and William has avoided any public comment about his brother.
In Spare, Harry made several claims about William and Kate Middleton, including an alleged physical confrontation in 2019. However, earlier this year, rumors suggested Harry regretted revealing those details.
Despite speculation about a reunion, royal expert Jennie Bond believes reconciliation is far from William’s priorities. “Burying the hatchet with his brother isn’t remotely close to the top of his list,” she told OK! magazine. Still, many were surprised when William and Kate’s official social media account publicly wished Harry a happy birthday last year.
“I still think things are too sensitive for a meaningful reconciliation with William,” Bond said, “but the fact that he and Catherine authorised the greeting to be posted is definitely an unexpected turn of events.”
“He Has No Room in His Heart or Head”
Bond explained that William’s life is already filled with responsibilities. “He has so much on his plate that I don’t think he has room in his heart or head to deal with all that has gone on with Harry,” she said. “While the brothers may never be close again, or even live on the same continent, it doesn’t mean the future has to be full of bitterness and bad blood. Catherine is right—family should always be paramount.”
William Breaks His Silence
Since the royal split, William had never publicly uttered his brother’s name. That changed when he appeared on the Apple TV+ series The Reluctant Traveller, where he spoke about his life, family, and vision for the monarchy’s future.
“I hope we don’t go back to some of the practices in the past that Harry and I had to grow up in,” William said, according to the Express. “And I’ll do everything I can to make sure we don’t regress in that situation.”
“It Was Only Natural for Him to Include Harry”
Why mention Harry now? According to Jennie Bond, it wasn’t a deliberate olive branch but a natural reference. “The mention of Harry is indeed fleeting, and I think it would be wrong to spend much time talking about it,” she told the Mirror. “But it does show that William hasn’t blocked his brother completely from his mind.”
She added, “It was only natural for him to include Harry when talking about his childhood, but I don’t think we should read more into it than that. The programme offered an extraordinary insight into who William really is.”
Bond concluded, “We all think we know him as a prince, but this was a glimpse behind the mask at the man who will be King. His words revealed a clear intention to question whether certain aspects of the monarchy are still fit for purpose.”