Princes William and Harry may be embarking on separate paths as royals, but one palace insider is insisting the brothers still need to work out their differences.
“There is a lot of hurt and a lot of unresolved issues between the boys and no one to help mediate,” a friend of the duo told People magazine for this week’s cover story.
“Petty grievances can become huge conflicts between all the royal offices if they aren’t managed correctly, and that’s exactly what’s happening now," added the source.
According to the outlet, part of the trouble stems from the 2017 departure of Christopher Geidt, the longtime private secretary of their grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II. Geidt has been known to help smooth over any differences between the brothers.
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“[He] really had the boys’ back,” said the pal.
Royal historian Robert Lacey previously told the outlet he isn’t surprised to hear that there might be some differences between the brothers as they take on royal duties.
“After the death of their mother, Princess Diana, in 1997, the two brothers were thrown together by the tragedy of their childhood,” he explained. “But it’s inevitable, as they grow up and develop different personalities, that synchronicity won’t apply anymore.”
The outlet noted that the Queen, 93, has handed off many of her duties to her heir Prince Charles, their father, with William, 37, “sliding in behind him.”
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“William is the future king,” a source close to the royals revealed. “There is going to be some competitiveness between him and Harry. That already puts a rock in the relationship.”
Numerous sources have long insisted there were deep tensions between the brothers after Harry, 35, revealed to his family he wanted to marry American actress Meghan Markle after less than a year of dating. When William cautioned Harry that the whirlwind romance was moving too quickly, Harry reportedly became angry and hurt.
William dated Kate Middleton for about eight years before tying the knot in 2011.
After previously working together, the royal couples split their offices and charitable endeavors last June. Markle and Harry’s office moved out of Kensington Palace and into Buckingham Palace, where the Queen resides. Middleton and William’s office remains in Kensington Palace, where they live with their three children.
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Meanwhile, Markle and Harry reside at Windsor Castle’s Frogmore Cottage with their son, Archie.
In October of this year, a palace source told the BBC that William was said to be hoping his brother and Markle, 38, “are all right” and felt the duo “were in a fragile place” after the couple opened up about struggling with tabloid rumors and fierce media scrutiny in a tell-all documentary.
Kensington Palace had no comment concerning the couple speaking out to British journalist Tom Bradby for ITV’s documentary “Harry & Meghan: An African Journey,” which aimed to give audiences a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the couple’s recent royal tour of southern Africa.
But it was in that same documentary where Harry hinted at the ongoing rumored rift between him and his older brother.
“Inevitably stuff happens,” explained the British royal. “But we’re brothers, we’ll always be brothers. We’re certainly on different paths at the moment. I’ll always be there for him and 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 I love him dearly.”
“The majority of stuff is created out of nothing,” added Harry. “As brothers, we have good days and we have bad days.”