Prince Harry Claims Prince William Physically Attacked Him Over Meghan Markle In New Memoir
Tensions between Prince Harry and Prince William continue to escalate. The royal siblings have a history of drama, which has only intensified with the release of the Netflix docuseries "Harry & Meghan." As the show shed light on Harry's tumultuous relationship with his brother, William reportedly took the docuseries harder than expected. Royal expert Katie Nicholl told Entertainment Tonight, "William will be taking this very personally ... I think he's incredibly upset, and feels very badly betrayed by his brother."
William had previously struggled with news of Harry and Meghan's famous royal exit. In a 2020 meeting with Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles III, and William, Harry laid out options for his future participation in the institution. However, according to USA Today, Harry said, "But it became very clear very quickly that that goal was not up for discussion or debate." He explained, "It was terrifying to have my brother scream and shout at me and my father, say things that just simply weren't true and (see) my grandmother quietly sit there and sort of take it all in."
Yet stories of the brothers' arguments don't end there. Harry's memoir "Spare" is almost here, and the book contains some alarming allegations about William's treatment of his brother.
Prince Harry says Prince William 'knocked me to the floor'
Fans won't have to wait much longer to read Prince Harry's memoir, "Spare," as it will be released on January 10, per CNN. In the book, Harry recalled how Prince William physically attacked him over Meghan Markle (via The Guardian). He shared details on the altercation, which took place at his London home in 2019. Harry stated that William described Meghan as "difficult," "rude," and "abrasive," which Harry said was a "parrot[ing of] the press narrative" about his wife.
During their meeting, Harry and William's confrontation grew in intensity. Harry wrote, "He [William] grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor. I landed on the dog's bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me. I lay there for a moment, dazed, then got to my feet and told him to get out." As a result of the attack, Harry claimed his back was visibly injured. Harry also revealed that William insisted he hit back, which Harry did not do. He added that William left, then came back "looking regretful, and apologised."
Despite their complicated rift, Harry seems intent on repairing his relationship with William. He recently sat down for two interviews about his family, which will air in January, per Access Hollywood. In one, he told ITV, "I would like to get my father back. I would like to have my brother back."
Prince Harry is calling out Prince William for another reason
While Prince Harry has mentioned interest in mending his relationship with his brother, does Prince William feel the same way? At this point, reconciliation is hard to imagine, as Harry has thrown multiple digs at his brother in "Spare." According to Page Six, he blamed his brother and his wife Kate Middleton for his Nazi uniform catastrophe. When Harry was 20 years old, a photo of him outfitted as a Nazi soldier for a "Native and Colonial" themed costume party was published. In one part of his book, Harry wrote, "I phoned Willy and Kate, asked what they thought. Nazi uniform, they said. They both howled. Worse than Willy's leotard outfit! Way more ridiculous! Which, again, was the point."
This event marked a turning point for Harry and William. While the media eventually moved on from this appalling incident, the costume fiasco reportedly set off a feud between the brothers. As written in Robert Lacey's book "Battle Of Brothers," (via the Daily Mail), one former aide said that "for the first time, their relationship really suffered and they barely spoke. Harry resented the fact that William got away so lightly."
Inside Prince Harry's claims about royal family leaks
Publishing a memoir comes at a cost, especially when you're a member of the royal family. Many people have disagreed with Prince Harry's choice to share details of his personal life and expose his family. Yet, in a trailer for Harry's upcoming ITV interview, the Duke of Sussex explained that it's a two-way street. He said, "That'll be the accusation from the people that don't understand or don't want to believe that my family have been briefing the press." According to Harry, this includes Prince William. In "Harry & Meghan," (via Cosmopolitan), Harry described how William broke his promise to never share information with the press that would go against him. Harry said, "To see my brother's office copy the very same thing that we promised the two of us would never ever do, that was heartbreaking."
In another upcoming interview on "60 Minutes," Harry gave further insight into his choice to publicize private matters. In a clip, he told Anderson Cooper, "And every single time I've tried to do it privately, there have been briefings and leakings and planting of stories against me and my wife. You know, the family motto is 'never complain, never explain.' But it's just a motto and it doesn't really hold." The Duke of Sussex reiterated how Buckingham Palace continues to plant and leak private information to the press. There's a lot at stake for the royal family, but Harry isn't backing down.