Prince William is believed to have completely cut ties with Prince Harry following the Sussexes’ repeated attacks on the royal family. But there was a time when the two brothers were as close as can be – and their bond was evident right from childhood, as their mother Princess Diana observed.
The late Princess spoke about her sons’ sweet connection in a handwritten letter to her parents’ housekeeper Violet Collison (affectionately known as Collie). The two-page note sold for a staggering £10,000 when it went under the hammer in July last year.
It was written by Diana in September 1984, days after the arrival of Prince Harry, in order to thank Collie for a gift. “It was so very kind of you to have given such a lovely present to Harry – we were enormously touched,” the Princess wrote.
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She also spoke about the instant connection between her boys. “William adores his little brother & spends the entire time pouring an endless supply of hugs & kisses over Harry, which is wonderful to watch if we’re allowed near!” Diana shared.
That once inseparable bond now lies in tatters. In the time since he left the royal family, Harry and wife Meghan have been openly critical of the monarchy; in their infamous Oprah interview, their Netflix show, various interviews, and in his memoir Spare. And their continual attacks pushed William to breaking point, according to one royal expert..
Ingrid Seward touched up the importance of stability in the Prince’s life, previously telling 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.”
Reflecting on William’s challenging year, she continued: “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.
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“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.”
Certainly William seems to be following in Diana’s footsteps – particularly when it comes to raising his own family.
Royal expert Jennie Bond wrote in the i newspaper: “I remember William’s mother, Diana, telling me that she wanted her two boys to be brought up in a way no other royal Princes had been. And she did her best to give them an idea of what life beyond the Palace walls is like.
“William and Catherine have gone further. They can’t change the fact that their children have been born into an extraordinary destiny and they’ve introduced them gently to some of the pomp and pageantry, but they’ve also given them a taste of a more ordinary existence – moving out of Kensington Palace to a relatively modest house with no live-in staff.”
Bond also noted that William and Kate are hands-on parents, who regularly undertake the daily school runs, and opted to send their three youngsters to Lambrook School “because of its ethos that courtesy, kindness and empathy are fundamental values in life”.
The expert added, “This is in line with their modern parenting methods: encouraging the children to express their feelings and voice their fears.”
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