Prince William is reportedly disappointed with the way Prince Harry responded to Queen Elizabeth’s announcement that he and his wife Meghan Markle have officially left their royal roles.
On Sunday, palace sources told the UK’s Sunday Times that the Duke of Cambridge, 38, is “very sad and genuinely shocked” by his younger brother’s behavior.
On Friday, Buckingham Palace confirmed that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will not be returning as royalty. The announcement came just over a year after Harry, 36, and Markle, 39, revealed that they were “taking a step back” as senior royalty, which came with a one-year review period.
“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have confirmed Her Majesty, the Queen, that they will not return as active members of the Royal Family,” the statement began.
MEGHAN MARKLE, PRINCE HARRY WILL NO LONGER BE A STANDARD FOR SOME ORGANIZATIONS
Prince William (right) is reportedly “unhappy” with the way his younger brother Prince Harry (left) responded to his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.
(Getty)
“After conversations with the duke, the queen wrote confirming that, by departing from the work of the royal family, it is not possible to continue with the responsibilities and duties inherent in a life of public service. While everyone is saddened by his decision, The duke and the Duchess remains very dear members of the family. “
Shortly after the palace shared the statement, Harry and Markle released their own message.
A spokesman for the couple said in a statement that “as evidenced by their work over the past year, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex remain committed to their duty and service to the UK and around the world, and have offered their continued support. to the organizations they played regardless of the official role. We can all live a life of service. Service is universal. “
In response, sources close to William told The Sunday Times that he is “very upset about what happened” and considered the couple’s behavior “insulting and disrespectful”.
MEGHAN MARKLE, PRINCE HARRY WILL NOT BE RETURNING AS WORKING MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL FAMILY, PALACE SAYS
Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle currently reside in California with their firstborn Archie. The Duchess of Sussex is expecting the couple’s second child.
(AP)
“You don’t answer the queen back – it just isn’t done,” said a source.
Despite the recent news, friends of the two brothers insisted that their relationship will heal over time.
“It’s still raw,” a friend of William’s told the outlet. “He is very upset about what happened, although he is absolutely determined that his and Harry’s relationship will heal over time.”
The palace said that the appointment of Harry as captain-general of the Royal Navy and titles with other military groups would revert to the queen before being distributed to other members of the family.
Harry, who served in the British army for a decade and has a close connection with the military, founded the Invictus Games competition for wounded soldiers.
MEGHAN MARKLE, PRINCE HARRY WAS ‘HOPEY’ TO GET PREGNANT AGAIN AFTER A ‘DEVASTING’ MISTAKE: SOURCE
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex previously announced that they were “taking a step back” as important members of the British royal family.
(Reuters)
According to the palace, the military, the community and charities that will now revert to Harry’s grandmother, the queen, including the Royal Marines, RAF Honington, Royal Navy Small Ship and Diving, The Queen’s Commonwealth Trust, The Rugby Football Union, The Rugby Football League, The Royal National Theater and The Association of Commonwealth Universities.
In their January 2020 announcement to step back as senior members of the royal family, Harry and Markle discussed their intentions to work independently, dividing their time between the UK and North America.
At the time, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex said their decision came “after many months of reflection and internal discussions”.
The couple added that they would continue to work with the reigning monarch, 94, as well as Harry’s father, Prince Charles, 72, and William.
OPRAH LANDS MEGHAN MARKLE, PRINCE HARRY’S FIRST INTERVIEW SINCE ENGAGEMENT
Prince William is second in line to the throne.
(REUTERS)
Rumors of an alleged real rivalry surfaced in 2019, when British bestselling author Katie Nicholl stated that since Markle and Harry announced their engagement in 2017, William has become increasingly concerned about his brother and his turbulent romance with the American actress.
“William was very concerned that the relationship had changed so quickly,” said Nicholl in the TLC documentary “Kate V. Meghan: Princesses at War?” “And being close to Harry, you know, probably the only person close enough to say to Harry, ‘This seems to be happening fast. Are you sure?’ And I think that what meant well-intentioned brotherly advice just pissed Harry off. “
“Harry is extremely protective of Meghan,” continued Nicholl. “He saw it as a criticism, he interpreted it as if his brother was not really behind this marriage, this union. And I don’t think things have been going well since then.”
Harry suggested an alleged feud with his older brother in the 2019 ITV documentary “Harry & Meghan: An African journey”.
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“/>Prince Harry (left) said he and his older brother Prince William (right) are on ‘different paths’. Still, ‘I will always be there for him and I know that he will always be there for me.’
(Getty)
“Part of that role and part of that work, that family, being under pressure that is under pressure, things inevitably happen,” he said at the time. “But look, we are brothers, we will always be brothers. We are certainly on different paths at the moment, but I will always be there for him and I know that he will always be there for me.”
In November 2020, royal historian and biographer Robert Lacey told Fox News that although William and Harry “talk on the phone from time to time”, it will take time for their relationship to be healed.
“I think it would always have happened that Meghan and Harry would live on the other side of the world,” he explained. “I think Meghan and Harry will remain based in North America. Unless the brothers find a way to reconcile, they will have to go their separate ways and maintain mutual respect for each other.”
“We know that in July 2021, the two brothers pledged to be in Kensington Gardens for the inauguration of the statue dedicated to their late mother, Princess Diana,” he said. “The world will then judge. But there is a lot of work to be done.”
Melissa Roberto and The Associated Press of Fox News contributed to this report.