William made a surprising offer to his brother after watching his TV interview. Photo / Getty Images
William made a surprising offer to his brother after watching his TV interview. Photo / Getty Images
As the rift between Prince William and Prince Harry first began to widen following a bombshell TV interview, a desperate message was reportedly sent in the hopes of getting the relationship back on track.
In an extract from the new book Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind The Crown - publishedin the Daily Mail - journalist Valentine Low explains that in late 2019, when Harry and Meghan Markle's highly successful tour of South Africa was coming to a close, their comments to ITV reporter Tom Bradby set off something of a bomb within the monarchy.
Asked directly about early reports of tensions between himself and William, Harry opted not to deny it, and instead told Bradby: "We are certainly on different paths at the moment … As brothers, you know, you have good days, you have bad days."
Elsewhere in the interview, Meghan spoke openly about her unhappiness within the royal family.
According to Low, William was shocked to hear how bad things had become for his brother and sister-in-law and decided to reach out to them.
The day after Harry And Meghan: An African Journey aired, William reportedly sent a WhatsApp message to his brother asking if he could come and see him, which Low claims sent the Duke and Duchess of Sussex "into a spin".
He says that while Harry was initially "in favour" of meeting up with him to talk things over, after discovering William would have to clear his schedule to line it up – meaning he'd tell his private secretary – he rejected the idea.
"At that point, Harry told him: 'Don't come,'" wrote Low, adding that it was due to his concerns over William's team potentially leaking details of their meeting to the press.
"He would rather not see his brother than risk it getting into the papers," Low explained.
"To everyone who knew what was going on, this was heartbreaking."
Just a couple of months later, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced their decision to quit frontline royal duties, leaving the UK in favour of settling in Montecito, California, with their family.
In March 2021, the couple's interview with Oprah Winfrey sent shockwaves around the world and through the palace, as they dropped bombshell after bombshell.
During the "no-limits" chat, the couple spoke about their crumbling relationship with the royal family, including racist concerns over the colour of Archie's skin, Meghan's declining mental health, and her rift with her sister-in-law, Kate Middleton.
One of the key details related to the longstanding rumour that she had made Kate cry in the lead-up to the wedding, however Meghan said the reverse happened.
One of the key details related to the longstanding rumour that she had made Kate cry in the lead-up to the wedding, however Meghan said the reverse happened. Photo / Getty Images
"The reverse happened. A few days before the wedding she was upset about something, pertaining to … the flower girl dresses, and it made me cry. And it really hurt my feelings," Meghan told Oprah.
Despite the ensuing frosty relations, following the Queen's death, William reportedly extended a last-minute olive branch to his brother and Meghan, which saw the original "Fab Four" reunited to greet mourners outside Windsor Castle.
A senior palace source told The Times that: "The Prince of Wales thought it was an important show of unity for the Queen at an incredibly difficult time for the family."
The outing marked the first time the family had been seen together since the Queen's Platinum Jubilee in June.
