Prince William's brutal reason for cutting ties as Harry hurt him 'more than he'd admit'

Prince William and Prince Harry were once incredibly close but the brothers' bond has been shattered and there are clear reasons the future King cut ties

Harry and William side by side looking serious

Prince Harry and Prince William are now all but estranged (Image: PA)

Prince William is "sensitive" and was hurt by his rift with Prince Harry "more than he'd care 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 and william on the balcony

The brothers no longer speak (Image: Getty)

Reflecting on the tumultuous period for William, Ingrid Seward told the Mirror: "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."

The rift between Prince William and Prince Harry appears to have deepened, with reports suggesting that the Prince of Wales has cut off contact with his brother. During a candid interview on '60 Minutes' in January 2023, Harry was quizzed about whether he communicates with William, to which he replied: "Currently, no. But I look forward to... I look forward to us being able to find peace."

When questioned about the last time they spoke, Harry conceded it had been "a while."

He also revealed a similar distance with his father, King Charles, stating: "We haven't spoken for quite a while. No, not recently."

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However, Harry remains hopeful for a future reconciliation, saying: "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. 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's last appearance in the UK was at the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games in May, during which he did not meet his father. This despite Charles's offer of Royal accommodation to Harry, which was turned down, leading some to question the cited reason of a 'full schedule'.

Harry and Charles shared their most recent encounter in February, a brief meeting of 45 minutes in London amidst Charles' cancer battle.

Still, it seems Charles is keen on forging closer ties with Archie and Lilibet, Harry's children. Royal correspondent Tom Quinn claims that King Charles is encouraging Harry to settle back in the UK, so as to facilitate deeper familial bonds.

However, Quinn is doubtful about Meghan making a return to the UK, keeping her past experiences with the Royal Family in perspective.

Quinn stated: "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."

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