Following Prince Philip’s funeral, I was interested in seeing how the British papers would handle Prince William and Prince Harry’s tenuous reconciliation. I was curious to see if Team Cambridge would immediately begin leaking like a sieve, perhaps helped by the Middleton family’s separate Bucklebury-based communications shop. While I’m sure there will be a new narrative full of Cambridge-approved messaging in the coming days and weeks, I was surprised by how little actual information there was just this weekend. It was so bad that British and American outlets were running pieces from “body language experts” dissecting William, Harry and Kate’s walk out of the funeral. The Times of London was one of the only outlets to have new information and quotes from both Camp Sussex and Camp Cambridge. These highlights are from the Times piece “Prince William and Harry put on a united front for Philip — helped by Kate.”
The funeral procession: As they emerged into the dazzling sunshine, Harry looked up and around the castle quadrangle, lined with soldiers, taking in all the pomp and pageantry that is now a lesser part of his life, having stepped back from official duties. William kept his gaze firmly ahead, a flickering jaw muscle the only hint of tension as the procession halted in front of the chapel’s west steps for the national minute’s silence. As they walked, three in a line, [Peter] Phillips seemed to hang back, a deferential half-step behind them, creating space for them to interact, an opportunity they did not initially embrace.
The keen peacemaker: As the royal family emerged from the chapel, Kate, who William has called a “peacemaker”, began chatting animatedly to Harry, who seemed to visibly relax, no longer on his own. Then, in an unexpected change of plan, instead of getting into their cars separately, waiting for them outside the chapel, the royal family decided to walk back to the castle together, with William and Harry finally side by side, chatting together all the way up Chapel Hill.
The final straw: In the immediate aftermath of the interview with Winfrey last month, where Harry said his brother was “trapped” in “the system”, William was said by close friends to be “reeling”. Some said Harry’s decision to speak out while their grandfather lay gravely ill in hospital had been the “final straw” for William, who was furious at what he saw as disrespect to the Queen. The American television presenter Gayle King, a friend of the Sussexes and Winfrey, claimed the first conversation between the brothers after the interview was “not productive”. Friends say he [William] is now “much calmer” but no less “devastated” by the damage done.
On William & Harry’s statements about Prince Philip: A source close to the brothers said: “That last sentence or two [in William’s statement] wouldn’t have been easy listening for Harry, but that whole point about duty and service was really what their grandfather was all about and imparted to them particularly.”
Buckingham Palace on eggshells: A Buckingham Palace spokesman said last week: “This is a funeral and we won’t be drawn into perceptions of drama.” But royal aides were reported to have been “on eggshells” while navigating the brothers’ relationship while planning the funeral.
Quelle surprise, William is angry. “Sources” have to emphasize that William is “calmer” now, which means he was seriously engorged with rage following the Oprah interview and he’s still “devastated.” If he was really so devastated, surely Baldingham would change HIS behavior, right? I guess not. As for Buckingham Palace being “on eggshells” planning the funeral around Harry and William… that’s not the way it’s supposed to happen. I think it’s notable that at no point did we hear from any Sussex source – or any source – that Harry was “demanding” something or “refusing” to do something regarding his grandfather’s funeral. All of the eggshells were about rage-monster William.
Photos courtesy of WENN, Avalon Red.
I suppose he thinks it makes him look strong, to make demands and carry on like a spoiled child. It really just shows him for the small, stunted person he is. I’m almost sorry for him. Not quite, but almost.
I was about to say this. They can’t possibly think this makes william look good
Such a selfish little s**t – this is supposed to be all about his grandmother and her loss, his father’s loss, his aunts and uncles’ loss, not his balding pettiness. Lord Baldhingham is such a twat
William throws tantrums because that’s how he gets his way quickly, w/out having endless meetings with everyone giving their opinion.
He stamps his little foot and yells, “my opinion is the only one that matters.”
And why– just WHY– is BP kowtowing to Will?
This is ridiculous. Wills sounds like an abusive a–hole that everyone has to modify their behavior for. TQ should walk on eggshells for nobody, especially after her husband died.
Wills is that douchebag that terrorizes his grandma. It’s disgusting.
I didn’t watch because I honestly didn’t care. I am just glad that he can go back home and get says from those loons.
They are so budget.
Yes, absolutely budget. Or, as they would say, teddibly tahsome.
These stories are so bizarre to me because I can’t decide if KP is stupid and thinks they make William look good, or if they’re being leaked intentionally to make William look bad. Because he does look bad here – ALL of these stories about his rage and anger are frankly concerning at this point. We hear about Charles being disappointed or angry but never* about his “rage” – that’s a word that sort of implies violence to me, or lots of shouting and throwing things, IDK. It seems like William threw a tantrum about the funeral and BP was afraid to deal with him.
*in the context of his relationship with Harry at the current time.
It doesn’t make william look good but i don’t think it matters. There is a genuine part of the public that probably sympathizes with william and think harry should be punished or some sort. So i don’t think people will see this piece as william having rage issues and KP knows that too
This may appeal to a small segment, but most people are capable of putting the information together. The prevailing evidence is that William is not fit.
That’s why I simply cannot understand why the british public is more favorable toward William?? I mean, REALLY? How much does he have to show his ass before they start questioning him? This dude is getting way too much press at this stage of the game. I know it’s all about advertising revenue for the various rags. Still, I’d rather see Charles in there as opposed to William. I don’t think William will be a good king AT ALL. He’s too self-centered and petulant to be effective. As stoic as QE2 is, I’d rather she be that way than the way William behaves. Charles knows how it works. Camilla does too. They’re suitable enough, since there’s no one else.
Ive always said that i think charles will make a good king. And camilla will do her job by his side like a dutiful queen consort. As for the public and their relationship with william….
Im sorry to say it but what it comes down to is racism. Racism for meghan that is extended to harry because he chose her. If it was just harry the public would see right through this BS. But since harry is meghan husband and therefore associated with her, he gets part of the irrational hatred too.
Yes Cecilia, good explanation. I’m mystified by this younger generation in England though. In America it seems that the younger generation for the most part (at least before all the recent murders of black people, trans, and gays) seemed much more tolerant and a good hope for the future.
I too think Charles will make a good King despite all his shortcomings. I don’t deny those. I just think he’s far more statesmanlike than William will likely ever be. As for Camilla, same in comparison to Kate.
While watching the funeral cortege on Saturday I really realized how much the English are invested in the pomp and military and tradition. It’s a spectable that a lot of us Americans can’t tear our eyes away from. (My housemate thinks I’m nuts, but OK. His motive varies!)
Charles will be an EXCELLENT King!
I don’t think Bulliam really is that popular, any more than I think that the UK public is ready to stone Meghan. The approval polls I’ve seen come from highly suspect organizations with ties to the tabloids and use decidedly slanted questioning designed to elicit results that are slanted in a particular direction. I’d love to see some reputable information-gathering organization like Pew, Roper, or Gallup (or their UK equivalents) do an opinion poll of the UK public about the monarchy and assorted royal individuals.
I read that Camilla said William does have a terrible temper and Charles is afraid of him getting in his face. It seems as though William has not gotten over what Charles did to his mother because he witnessed it all as a young child. Diana said that he would tissues under the door in the bathroom to wipe her tears after a fight with his dad.
This whole system is so sickening,how an individual Prince or not can treat someone older as ‘less than’. I will only speak for my self and the culture I come from ,East Africa to be exact and we show respect to all our elders even if the younger more exposed generation are richer or more eductaed than the elders ,even when you visit the village they can ‘order’ you around. Prince Edwrard and Sophie seem scared of William and their future oncehe is King,well God help them all.
@Noki, sadly that’s been lost in most of the rest of the world. Not the ordering around part, but the respect part.
Let me rephrase ‘order’ I meant there is just a natural level of respect bestowed to those who are older than you,especially old enough to be your parents or grandparents.My 50 something uncle would think nothing of it if my grandfather would tell him to go ‘fetch’ him something.(This is putting it in very basic examples)
They are pushing this narrative that William is angry because of him being “trapped” comment when the issue is deeper. Yeah, no surprises here lol
And thus just goes further to confirm that it’s William thats problematic.
I also kind of (to me at least) that there is truth to what harry said. I mean it clearly struck a cord.
His grandma has met with prime ministers and foreign leaders whom she deeply disagrees with and even dictators throughout her reign and yet future King William demands that his cousin walk between him and his own brother because “awkwarrrrrd.”. Does that really give anyone any confidence in him as a future king?
And btw, I was giving him the benefit of the doubt about the walking situation since people have pointed out similar situations at past funerals when the brothers weren’t at odds…but then the story came out that this is how he demanded it.
Are they afraid he’ll “pull a Harry” and bail? That’ll never happen. He wants the money and power associated with the Crown; he just doesn’t want the work. And CarolE would probably put out a hit on him lol
Let’s face it, William has been “The Rage Monster” since he was a child. He was known as a bully and as “Billy the Basher”. He once told a kid in his kindergarten class he had to obey him because he was going to be king. He has not changed since.
I think that’s actually been William’s threat for years and years and years, that he’ll bolt. I can’t fathom out another reason why he’d be allowed to get away with doing so little for so long.
I don’t get why William is angry. If he didn’t conduct a smear campaign against Harry and Meghan and just let them do what they wanted to do, there would have been no cause for Harry and Meghan to leave or to do the Oprah interview.
Is he really angry because he botched this whole thing so badly?
He’s just mad he can’t control them anymore. He wanted them to leave, but under his thumb still.
@Maria: If that’s case why didn’t he agree to Harry and Meghan’s proposal for half in, half out?
Jealousy is a factor too. And not just William’s jealousy and insecurity either. Meghan and Harry are the total package, looks, commitment to doing good, charisma, you name it. Just like a certain other late royal, only there are two of them , so its double the shine.
Because half in half out would mean they’d make their own money, and money is power. Also, part of the reason H&M wanted to make their own money was to avoid the RR. PwT needed the RR to have full access to H&M so they could slander them instead of singing about his rose trimming,
William didn’t want the half-in half-out because he thought they would fail if they were completely “out” and come crawling back at the one year review. Then he would REALLY have all the power.
of course, that’s not what happened, too bad so sad PWT.
William made no overtures of reconciliation towards Harry on Saturday. The fact that he didn’t weasel his way away from Harry while they were walking means nothing. If you watch, it’s actually William who is the one that is the loner exiting the church, and Harry catches up to him. Dan Wooten has a new job at the Fail and William’s first obligation now is to him. TOB & TheWoot were having a go at Harry the day before Philip died. William is still reeling, raging, and retaliating against Harry, and William had no trouble waging his anti-Sussex campaign with Philip on death watch.
I’m confused about part of the article bring from camp sussex? Which part?
Exactly. I don’t see anything that would be from the Sussexes here especially that bit about hearing about duty would be hard for Harry
It may be in the full article? I haven’t read it yet. However, I definitely see Camp Middleton threw their own hat in the ring with Kate the Peacemaker comments. She has more descriptors after her name than any one ruler. The Peacemaker, the Kingmaker, the Great, the Keen 😉
I worry about William being so angry all the time. That’s not healthy.
Elizabeth, something in the milk definitely isn’t clean with that guy. Seemingly pro-William and pro-BRF media types have alluded to anger issues way too many times when it comes to him.
Considering the fact that Harry was in quarentine until the day of the funeral one wonders why they were on eggshells.
Harry is well rid of these people. They are just awful. The fact is that only stuffy British people who believe in this absurd class/caste system look up to this monarchy speaks volumes. The rest of the commonwealth is catching up on calling them for what they really are imperialist colonizers, human traffickers and a bunch of racist tools.
They were supposed to interact during a moment of silence? And when has Will called Kate a peacemaker?
So I’m wondering… Did Peter Phillips ( who looks just like his Dad IMO) think “well HELL” when told he would walk between the brothers? I mean, did he have a choice or did they go “well, Petey old son, since you’re the eldest grand you get to walk in the procession, oh and by the way you’re gonna have to be between Haz and the rage monster so they won’t throw down, k, thnxs”
Funny…looking at those photos I was amazed at how much I thought William and Peter looked alike. I find Peter better looking (darker hair and better hairline) but their eyes/brows/noses/mouths are really similar in that second photo. Can def see they’re related.
If Baldimort was my child, I would take him out back and beat the jackass out of him. He is a horrible, spoiled man child
I never made it past the first three episodes of Game of Thrones but I do remember the scene where Peter Dinklage’s character slaps the teenage prince every time he opens his mouth and that prince character being a snot nosed imp. Never in a million years would I condone abuse but I do think it would be a fair comeuppance to see the almost 75 year old Charles do that with 40 year William and finally discipline his son.
No spoilers but that kid deserves it
I think someone needs to slap William like that (personally I think it should’ be the Queen)
Preach, Rise Above. They hate that Harry showed them for the despicable family they are. He broke the “never tell” rule because that’s what keeps them on their pedestals.
Yes. When the scapegoat of the family speaks the truth, watch out.
It’s kind of breathtaking how that little ginger imp Harry ended up with all of Diana’s charisma while the Other Brother got none.
@ Monica, Harry is the best parts of his mother, as you said. Harry has that special touch with people, no matter their age or circumstances in life. Harry holds a great deal of empathy and compassion whereas The Other Brother has zip, nada, nope, not happening in my lifetime qualities. It was a matter of choice though. Harry put in the work to become the man that he is today, and we see what happens when you give in to a man-child his entire life and continue to do so even at their grandfathers funeral.
William is such a shitheel (a term used by John Steinbeck in his great novel, The Grapes of Wrath). Only by position of birth does he have any standing at all. The privilege, the spoiling, the “walking on eggshells” by others have whittled down William’s character to a stature unbecoming to a prince or a gentleman. Life is about how you deal with the cards you’ve been dealt. William has shown that even the most winning hand cannot ensure a good man. He’s squandered all of his life’s gifts to become this petulant, tantruming , useless shitheel. He should well and truly be ashamed, but he doesn’t have the self-awareness to be so. I just watched a wonderful Kurosawa film with a title befitting William: The Bad Sleep Well.
I’m so confused by what’s going on with these people!!! Something is seriously wrong with prince William. Everyone seems to be afraid of him. Something is seriously wrong IMO.
There was a report on cnn yesterday saying that William and Harry’s relationship must continue. Even if he does not resume royal duties. That Harry is the only one that understands William and can help him in kingship, explicitly disregarding Kate, his own wife in the statement!!! It was bizarre. Prince Williams need for harry is truly strange. Taken with that bizarre love letter to Harry from William (imo). William has basically elevated Harry as his life partner/consort. Wtf!!