It used to be a familiar sight—Princes Harry and William, brothers in arms, mingling with their close-knit circle of friends in the London social scene. These were the friends who stood by Harry through the ups and downs of his troubled youth. “They were both very sociable boys,” recalled Grant Harrold, former butler to King Charles. But these bonds seem to have frayed at the edges, coinciding alarmingly with Prince Harry’s move to California and his marriage to Meghan Markle.
“Prince William and Prince Harry don’t get along very well anymore. They may not even be on speaking terms,” laments Harrold. This is a far cry from the brothers who “were always having fun together and having banter. They played practical jokes and wound each other up, but it was harmless.”
The Meghan Markle Factor
The whispers have been constant, the speculation endless. A good portion of it fueled by UK tabloids and pundits who point fingers at Meghan Markle for the eroding relationships between Prince Harry and his long-standing friendships. “One of the very first falling outs was when he introduced Meghan to his Eton friends back in 2016 during a Sandringham country estate shooting party. Ever since then, the friends have kept their distance as has Harry,” shared royal expert Hilary Fordwich.
Sides Were Taken
Charles’ biographer Christopher Andersen echoes this sentiment. “When ‘Megxit’ first occurred, William and Harry’s friends were forced to choose sides. Even brothers like Henry and Thomas Van Straubenzee, the princes’ pals since childhood, were forced to choose one over the other, causing friction in their own families,” he remarked.
Life Across the Pond
But can we really place all the blame on Meghan? Life in the U.S hasn’t exactly been smooth sailing for the royal couple either. “Harry’s life is centered not in London but in California. So, logically, he has grown closer to Meghan’s crowd,” Andersen told Fox. He also emphasized that even without Meghan by his side, Harry has fewer chances to interact with his old friends due to the tension between him and his brother William.
The Last Word
There’s no denying that Prince Harry has drifted apart from his former companions. But it might be too simplistic, not to mention unfair, to attribute it all to his wife. Sometimes friendships fade away, sometimes we outgrow the people we used to be close with, and sometimes relationships get complex. That’s life—even for a Prince.
So, while it’s easy to let the headlines spin a narrative of Meghan Markle as the “wicked witch” breaking up the brotherly love and childhood friendships, perhaps it’s time to consider that Harry, like any other person, is navigating the complicated web of adult relationships, magnified tenfold by his royal status.
What do you think? Is Meghan Markle unfairly blamed for Prince Harry’s changed relationships, or is there more to the story? Let us know in the comments below.
Source: thehollywoodgossip
