A decade ago, everything was on top in the royal family. Prince William and Kate Middleton had been married for some years and had just welcomed their firstborn child, Prince George. Naturally, Harry was over the moon to have become an uncle.
At first, Harry had a great relationship with his brother and sister-in-law, but that quickly changed. The Duke told his side of the story in his book, Spare, as he claimed that William and Kate practically shut him out. Today, we know things got a lot worse.
As Harry and Meghan left the royal family and exposed their truth about royal life, William and Kate decided to break off all contact with the Sussexes. Things have not gotten better, but as the Princess of Wales received her cancer diagnosis, Harry and Meghan did the right thing and reached out. Meanwhile, Harry reportedly regretted what he had written about Kate in his book – and now, a royal expert claims he isn’t supporting his sister-in-law at all, even calling it a betrayal.
In his new tell-all book, Spare, Harry details the moment he became an uncle for the first time when George was born.
“I was an uncle. Willy and Kate had welcomed their first child, George, and he was beautiful. I couldn’t wait to teach him about rugby and Rorke’s Drift, flying and corridor cricket – and maybe give him a few pointers about how to survive life in the fishbowl,” Harry recalled.
Prince Harry – relationship with William & Kate
When he appeared at an event in 2013, Harry was asked about his newborn nephew and how he felt about becoming an uncle.
A reporter asked Harry what his primary duties as an uncle would be, to which Harry replied: “To make sure he has a good upbringing, to keep him out of harm’s way, and to make sure he has fun. The rest of it I leave up to the parents.”
When George was born, William and Kate needed more space, so they moved into Kensington Palace. Harry, meanwhile, moved into Nottingham Cottage, just across the road from his brother’s new home.
It didn’t take long before he felt something was wrong. In his book, the Duke explained how he was really pleased about moving into Nottingham Cottage, which is within walking distance of Kensington Palace. Or, as he described it, “half a football pitch away” from his house, where he also could hear William and Kate’s nanny go past with the stroller at all hours.
He said it was “nice to get out of the old place, but even better to live in front of Willy and Kate,” and he “could see myself dropping in to see them all the time.”
Harry dreamed about popping into William and Kate’s, hanging out with George, and “throwing himself on the floor” to wrestle with his nephew.
Harry claimed he was “never invited” by William and Kate after George was born
The reality, according to Harry, was completely different.
“I took it for granted that I would be invited to their house at any moment. But the days went by, and it didn’t happen,” he explains. “I understand, I thought. They’re busy! Building a family! Or maybe… three’s a crowd. Maybe if I get married things will change.”
As years passed by and Harry and Meghan met, dated, and later married, their relationship worsened. Harry wrote in his book that he once had a physical altercation with his brother, but Kate was not spared from criticism when the Sussexes began revealing things about the royals.
In the Oprah interview, Meghan claimed that Kate Middleton had made her cry over the flower girl dresses on her wedding day. However, that directly contradicts earlier claims made by the British tabloids.
Later, in Harry’s book Spare, released in early 2023, the Duke revealed personal text messages exchanged between Meghan and Kate after the disagreement over Princess Charlotte’s bridesmaid dress.
Princess Charlotte was to wear a specific gown as a flower girl at the wedding, which was held at St George’s Chapel on the Windsor grounds.
What Harry revealed about Kate Middleton in ‘Spare’
All the flower girls’ gowns were “French couture,” but none had been fitted before they were crafted. Therefore, Harry wrote that some adjustments were expected.
In his book, Harry wrote that he found his then-bride-to-be “sobbing on the floor” following a text exchange with Kate. Harry claimed that Kate texted Meghan, “Charlotte’s dress is too big, too long, too baggy. She cried when she tried it on at home.”
At first, Harry claimed that Kate didn’t want to meet Meghan’s tailor at Kensington Palace to have the dress fixed. Ultimately, all the bridesmaids’ gowns had to be remade.
Even so, Harry added that “Kate hadn’t meant any harm” with the texts and said that Kate arrived at their home the following day with flowers and a card to apologize.
However, this was only one thing about Kate he mentioned in Spare. In another part of the book, Harry claims that Kate once “grimaced” after Meghan asked to use her lipgloss. When she put some lipgloss onto her fingers to use on her lips, the Princess of Wales visibly shuddered.
Moreover, Prince Harry wrote that Kate and Meghan struggled to bond over stereotyping, which he said caused “a bit of a barrier.”
Harry was in a “painful place” after Kate’s cancer diagnosis
Kate Middleton’s cancer diagnosis didn’t only affect the royals. Harry and Meghan were also significantly affected by the news, which they reportedly got through the news and not from their UK family members.
The Sussexes were said to have reached out to Kate after the news of her cancer was made public. Meanwhile, a royal expert claimed that Harry most likely regrets what he wrote about it as the Princess of Wales was – and still is– going through this most challenging time.
Speaking with Us Weekly in early April while promoting her book Elizabeth & Philip: A Story of Young Love, Marriage and Monarch, royal expert Tessa Dunlop claimed Harry now finds himself in a “painful place.”
“When you do discover that your sister-in-law has cancer and you’ve written stuff that can’t be retracted, that’s quite a painful place to be in,” Dunlop said.
As mentioned, Harry and Meghan didn’t find out about Kate’s health from their family members, but just as the rest of the world from watching the news.
The Sussexes released a statement at the time of Kate’s cancer diagnosis revelation, saying that they wished “health and healing” for the princess, hoping “they are able to do so privately and in peace.”
“He really misses that warm, uncomplicated relationship”
Meanwhile, royal expert Tom Quinn revealed that Harry had difficulty coping with the news. On the one hand, he wanted to support Kate Middleton, his sister-in-law, but on the other, he wanted to support his wife, whom Kate didn’t like.
The Duke was “torn” about it, as he had to choose.
“He really misses that warm, uncomplicated relationship, and he is torn between loyalty to his wife and regret about the loss of the woman he was so close to. Losing Kate was Harry’s second great loss after losing his mother;” Quinn told the Mirror in April.
Harry and Kate Middleton had a great relationship in the beginning, and when he and Meghan married, it sure appeared as if the future generations of senior royal family members were set. While the rift is very much still on, it is indeed a sad moment for the royals, not least King Charles, who has had to watch how his sons—and daughters-in-law—have created a very toxic environment between each other.
While Harry might had his reasons for exposing his truth about Kate, one royal expert claims he “cruelly betrayed” his sister-in-law. Speaking to The Sun, royal expert Phil Dampier says that Harry could have done more to support Kate Middleton as she was diagnosed with cancer.
Royal expert says Harry “crually betrayed” Kate
The fact that he hasn’t, the royal expert claims, “speaks volumes.”
“Prince Harry once described Catherine as the sister he never had and they were incredibly close,” Dampier said. “So one of the saddest aspects of Megxit is the fact that they no longer speak.”
“As The Princess of Wales has been recovering from cancer, we have heard precious little in terms of public support from Harry and Meghan. It may be that they have made contact privately, but I wouldn’t hold my breath.”
“If there was a willingness by Harry to support Kate and of course William he could have made a move to apologise for some of his outbursts and made the effort to come over and spend some time with them. But the fact he hasn’t speaks volumes.”
The royal expert continued, saying that the trust between all parties “has long since gone.” Dampier argued that any form of making amends is far away.
“William and Kate must feel deeply hurt by what Harry has done and whatever his past grievances there was no excuse for turning them into a money-making industry. It’s tragic that their children, George, Charlotte, and Louis, don’t know their cousins, and Kate will be deeply saddened at how things have turned out.”
Dampier concluded, “She and William now have a huge burden going forward as the future of the monarchy and they needed Harry and Meghan to support them. So the sense of betrayal will run deep.”
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