‘Sensitive’ Prince William hurt more by Harry than he’d admit – but found it ‘easier’ to cut ties

The gulf between Prince Harry and his brother Prince William has grown to such an extent that a reunion seems highly doubtful, according to experts. One Royal commentator has shared the reason the future King ‘cut ties’ with his younger brother.

Harry and William are no longer on speaking terms (
Image: Getty Images)

Prince William is “sensitive” and was hurt by his rift with Prince Harry “more than he’d like to admit” – but there was one key reason he found it “easier” to cut ties with his younger brother, a royal expert has claimed.

Once upon a time, William and Harry were inseparable but it is believed the chasm between them has widened so much in recent years that a reconciliation seems unlikely. Since his departure from the Royal family, Harry, along with his wife Meghan Markle, have been vocal critics of the monarchy; their criticisms have been aired in their notorious Oprah interview, their Netflix series, various interviews, and in his memoir, Spare. Their constant revelations have strained William’s relationship with Harry – and one Royal expert suggests there’s a personal reason why the future King decided to “cut ties” with his younger sibling.

Ingrid Seward highlighted the significance of stability in William’s life as she told the Mirror: “William is sensitive, he likes structure and has perseverance. He does not give up easily. His relationship with brother Harry upset him more than he would care to admit. But he found it easier to cut ties rather than allow himself to be continually annoyed.”

Harry has made a series of bombshell claims ( 

Reflecting on William’s challenging year, Ingrid added: “His father got cancer and Kate had a serious abdominal operation. Later to announce she too had to have cancer treatment. William played both mother and father to the children while he carried on with his royal duties supporting the Queen in his father’s absence. The traumas of the past year have made him a stronger person. He has become the kind of man Diana always hoped he would be. Kind considerate and able to take on whatever life throws at him.”

It’s believed that The Prince of Wales has severed ties with his younger sibling, and it remains unclear when they last met. During his January 2023 interview on ’60 Minutes’, Harry was asked if he “speaks to William now? Do you text?” to which he responded: “Currently, no. But I look forward to… I look forward to us being able to find peace.”

When probed about the duration since their last communication, Harry admitted it had been “a while.” Harry also disclosed that it’s been quite some time since he spoke to his father, saying, “We haven’t spoken for quite a while. No, not recently.” Yet, he expressed hope for reconciliation: “But at the heart of it, there is a family, without question. And I really look forward to having that family element back. I look forward to having a relationship with my brother.”

He added: “I look forward to having a relationship with my father and other members of my family. My brother and I love each other. I love him deeply. There has been a lot of pain between the two of us, especially the last six years.”

Prince Harry was last in the UK for the Invictus Games’ 10th anniversary in May but didn’t catch up with his father. While citing King Charles’s ‘full schedule’ as the reason, doubts were cast when it emerged that Charles had extended an offer of Royal lodgings to Harry, which he turned down. The last time the father and son duo were together was in February, when Harry jetted off to London for a brief 45-minute encounter with King Charles amidst the monarch’s battle with cancer.

Despite the strained relations, it appears that Charles is eager to forge a bond with his grandchildren, Archie and Lilibet. Royal commentator and author Tom Quinn has revealed that the King is pushing Harry to establish a UK base to allow for more meaningful family interactions. Yet, Tom is sceptical about Meghan joining her husband back in the UK, considering her previous experiences with the Royal Family.

Tom said: “King Charles has been putting pressure on Harry to do just this as he is angry that his only relationship with his grandchildren so far is via video calls, which Charles hates. William and Kate’s children would spend the weekend at Highgrove and Harry’s children could then easily pop over from their house nearby.”