Once the royal team, Prince William and Prince Harry grew up with a bond that seemed unbreakable—until it was not. Now, their brotherhood feels more like a royal soap opera, packed with drama, shocking twists, and enough tension to rival The Crown. Something shifted, and the cracks in their brotherhood only grew deeper over time. Meghan Markle’s arrival added a new layer to the story, and soon, the once-close brothers were on opposite sides of a very public fallout.  

The royal rift has kept fans guessing, dissecting every detail, questioning loyalties, and searching for clues. So, what really happened behind the palace doors? These seven explosive moments stand as the tipping points, each one pulling the brothers further apart.

In 2016, Prince William reportedly warned Prince Harry against rushing into things with Meghan Markle, which even Royal Family expert Jennie Bond told The Sun. As reported, Prince William advised Prince Harry to take his time with Meghan Markle before he married her. This led to one of their first serious arguments.

The discussion soon escalated, with Prince Harry having apparently felt that Prince William was acting towards him in a reckless and decision-making-incapable manner. 

Prince William vs Prince Harry Royal Fans Spark a Debate Weighing in on Who is the More Beloved Brother

In 2019, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle formally split from Prince William and Kate Middleton's household and relocated from Kensington Palace to Windsor Castle’s Frogmore Cottage. The move was seen as a strong indication of increasing tensions. Although it was billed as a logistical solution, insiders said there was significant personal conflict involved.

Both Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were said to have felt pushed to the sidelines, while Prince William and Kate Middleton were still at the forefront of royal engagements. Reports mentioned that Prince William viewed the split as unnecessary and driven by his brother's growing need for independence. The working relationship between the brothers was now broken, making future cooperation challenging.

In the 2019 documentary Harry & Meghan: An African Journey, Prince Harry publicly admitted that he and Prince William were on "different paths." Reports stated that the royal family was shocked by this revelation because it was the first time that one of the brothers had openly admitted their rift. 

Until then, royal feuds had always been resolved in private. Reports said that Prince William felt this was an unnecessary venting of frustrations, further weakening their relationship. Rather than resolving their differences in private, the brothers were now embroiled in a feud under international scrutiny.

In January 2020, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stunned the world when they revealed, announcing via Instagram that they would be stepping back as senior royals, leaving the UK royals. Reports said the move caught Prince William and the royal family off guard, who had not been consulted in advance. 

Prince William was said to have felt let down by the lack of consultation. Although he sympathized with Prince Harry's anger at life within the royal family, he reportedly thought that the way they left was injurious to the monarchy. The rift between the brothers, already strained, reached new depths, leaving Prince William unable to forgive Prince Harry for what he perceived as a rash choice.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's March 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey led to huge controversy in the royal family. Among the most striking revelations was that a member of the royal family had raised concerns about Prince Archie's color. Prince William was said to have been incensed, feeling the interview was a smear on the reputation of the family.

In turn, Prince William went public and said, "We are very much not a r--t family." Stories reported that he was also intensely affected by the fact that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle chose to make their complaints public. Rather than repairing their relationship, the interview only further exacerbated the distance between the brothers, making reconciliation even more improbable.

In Spare, Prince Harry does not hold back about his strained relationship with Prince William. He describes a physical fight in 2019, when Prince William supposedly grabbed him by the collar, tore his necklace, and pushed him onto the floor. Harry reports that the fight began over Meghan Markle, with Prince William calling her “difficult” and “rude.” He claims his brother urged him to fight back, but Prince Harry refused. The moment, he says, was a breaking point, revealing how deep their rift had truly become.

Prince Harry also describes Prince William as his "beloved brother and arch-nemesis," highlighting the complex emotions between them. Their dynamic was never level, per Prince Harry, with Prince William was supposedly always eager to exert dominance.

What started as small tensions grew into a full-blown royal fallout, making their feud feel less like a passing spat and more like a long-running drama. According to a reported statement by a formal aid, their separation has been "hard and sad” for everyone involved. Years of personal disagreements, public scrutiny, and royal pressures have turned their once unbreakable bond into one of the biggest rifts in modern royal history.

Prince William vs Prince Harry Royal Fans Spark a Debate Weighing in on Who is the More Beloved Brother

Will the two ever reconcile, or has the damage become permanent? What do you think was the biggest turning point in their fallout? Let us know in the comments below!