Prince William wanted to send Prince Harry a “message” about the future of the monarchy with an official photo snapped of the monarch and her heirs, according to royal historian Robert Lacey.
In December 2019, just weeks before Harry and Meghan Markle stepped down as working royals, a picture of the late Queen Elizabeth with her heirs, then-Prince Charles, William and Prince George, was released.
The Times reported at the time that the Sussexes were upset by the photo as they viewed it as a “signal that they were being excluded from royal life“.
Mr Lacey wrote in his book Battle of Brothers (via Us Weekly) that even though Charles was the one who came up with the idea for the image, William saw how he could use it to his advantage.
The historian explained: “According to insiders, this formal photograph, taken in the Buckingham Palace Throne Room a week before Christmas 2019, was the idea of Prince Charles, anxious to promote his cause of the ‘slimmed-down monarchy’.”
“Palace sources have also let it be known that the plan of depicting the direct line of royal succession was enthusiastically supported by Prince William, who was not saying anything for the record — but who wanted to send his younger brother a message.”
Now relations between the royal brothers are at rock bottom, with Harry slinging mud at William through shocking claims made in his memoir Spare, including one that the pair had a physical altercation.
Cracks were already beginning to show by the time Harry got engaged to Meghan in 2017, as William feared he was rushing into marriage.
He continued: “But look, we’re brothers , we’ll always be brothers. And we’re certainly on different paths at the moment, but I’ll always be there for him, as I know he’ll always be there for me.
“We don’t see each other as much as we used to because we’re so busy, but you know, I love him dearly. The majority of this stuff [in the press] is created out of nothing, but you know, as brothers, you know, you have good days, you have bad days.”
Now it seems as if William has cut off Harry completely, as former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond told Times Radio: “I think as far as William is concerned, Harry really doesn’t exist.
“William has enough pressure on his heart and his head, with his wife [ Princess of Wales ] and her ongoing cancer treatment, and his father [King Charles], his job and his kids that I don’t think he’s got any room in his soul to worry about his estranged brother… I think William has disowned Harry.“
