Us Weekly continues to lean into their royal coverage, and they have another royal cover story this week, all about the relationship between Prince Harry and Prince William. They don’t have a relationship any longer, end of story. And yet, people continue to yammer on and on about how sad it is that Harry won’t just run to the UK and beg for his brother’s forgiveness, all so William can scream and rage at him in person. I wish more people would acknowledge that William’s behavior is largely why ALL of this happened with the Sussexes. Anyway, some highlights from Us Weekly:
William was jazz-handing with the Army at the same time the Sussexes’ baby-mama dance was going viral: “Harry and Meghan are highlighting a life of fun and lightness while William’s is dominated by duty and public service,” a royal insider exclusively tells Us Weekly. “They are worlds apart.”
Harry’s Montecito life: “He enjoys the freedom he didn’t have as a working royal,” says royal commentator Amanda Matta. “He’s parenting on his own terms and can go on bike rides or date nights without the British press tracking his every move.” Meghan’s social media return offers an eagle-eyed view into Harry’s new normal — in photos and videos, he can be seen running on the beach with Archie and Lili, going on rides at Disneyland and enjoying a Beyoncé concert.
William’s dull life: “He’s embracing his new role as Prince of Wales,” says royal historian Marlene Koenig, who believes the father of three has found his groove, especially with Kate back in action. (Kate revealed she’s cancer free in September; Charles, 76, is still undergoing treatment.) “William goes about his job as heir to the throne without complaint,” says Koenig. “He understands the assignment: He supports the king but is also paving his own path to the top job.”
The pressure on Peg: Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams says the pressure on William is “unrelenting,” but he’s up to the task. “He’s well prepared to take on the responsibility of being king,” he says. “He’s an accomplished diplomat, and his popularity here and in the U.S. is huge.”
William has some lingering resentment about the Sussexit. “Harry left a large gap in William’s world, not just personally but practically,” explains the insider. “The whole idea was for Harry to work hand-in-hand with William and to divide and conquer during William’s monarchy. So Harry not being there is tough. He feels deserted by his brother — not that he would ever say that out loud.”
William isn’t jealous, don’t say that he’s jealous: Matta says that while William isn’t jealous of Harry’s new life, he has borrowed a page from his younger brother’s playbook: “We’ve seen William take selective time away from the public eye to protect his wife and children, carve out personal days and assert more control over his platform,” Matta tells Us. “It’s a quieter, more measured version of Harry’s break.”
Harry’s post-royal life: “He hasn’t been entirely successful, especially in terms of earning money for the family. That seems to have fallen on Meghan,” Koenig says. (While With Love, Meghan was renewed for a second season, Meghan’s podcast, “Confessions of a Female Founder,” is on an indefinite hiatus as she focuses on her As Ever brand.)
No open conflict? “The more time passes, the more William and Harry seem to be settling into their respective lives,” says Matta, adding that there is “no open conflict, just radio silence.” (Fitzwilliams says the siblings “are not in contact and haven’t been for a while.”) For now, they’re forging ahead on their own paths. “A formal return [to royal life] for Harry feels incredibly unlikely,” notes Matta. “Especially if we’re talking about William offering his brother a way back. The trust isn’t there.” Koening adds: “William and Harry are separated by more than an ocean. There are no plans for a reconciliation. They are two brothers living very separate lives.”
This is the most telling part: “Harry left a large gap in William’s world, not just personally but practically…The whole idea was for Harry to work hand-in-hand with William and to divide and conquer during William’s monarchy…He feels deserted by his brother.” I actually believe that William feels “deserted.” He has always treated Harry like he believes that Harry is his extension, property and servant, that Harry’s marriage, family and independence is a personal betrayal. And again with “Harry was supposed to help William when he’s king” sh-t – it’s been clear for years that everyone within the royal institution knows that William is profoundly incapable, and they were counting on Harry to carry William’s dead weight for the rest of their lives. Not only that, Charles was counting on Harry to pick up William’s dead weight too!
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, cover courtesy of Us Weekly.
