Father-son tension. Prince William was at odds with Prince Charles early in life due to his father’s tumultuous relationship with his mother, Princess Diana.
Author Robert Lacey claims in his new book, Battle of Brothers: William and Harry — The Inside Story of a Family in Tumult, released on Tuesday, October 20, that William, now 38, felt “open disdain and aggression towards his father that has lasted to the present day” as a child.
The Duke of Cambridge allegedly sided with Diana — who died in August 1997 — in disputes between his parents. “I hate you, Papa. I hate you so much,” William allegedly shouted at Charles, now 71, at one point. “Why do you make Mummy cry all the time?”
Lacey claims that William “came to find consolation in the idea that he would one day be ‘king’” as his parents’ fighting “intensified.” On the other hand, Prince Harry allegedly declared, “I can do what I want,” at the age of 4 during an argument with his older brother as the Duke of Sussex, now 36, invoked the line of succession.
Battle of Brothers details William and Harry’s strained relationship through the years. Their rift came to a head earlier this year when the latter and wife Meghan Markle stepped down from their senior roles in the royal family and relocated to her native California.
“This tragic situation has been hanging over the royal family like a dark shadow for a long time now,” a source exclusively told Us Weekly in July. “It breaks people’s hearts that their relationship has deteriorated so badly.”
The feud may last longer than expected because, according to the insider, William and Harry are “two extremely stubborn, principled men who won’t back down regarding what they believe is right” and “seem content to let things stall.”
A second source revealed in August that Harry “felt like a spare part” next to William and Duchess Kate, noting that Harry was “totally sidelined” after the couple’s engagement. Meanwhile, a third insider told Us that “tension was brewing between Harry and William and Kate” before Meghan, 39, entered the picture.
Battle of Brothers is available in bookstores now.
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