Photo Reveals Early Signs of Discord Between the Royal Brothers
The rift between Prince William and Prince Harry is under renewed scrutiny as a particular photograph is identified as a crucial marker of growing tensions between the two brothers.
Royal expert Richard Eden from the Daily Mail highlights signs of discord between William and Princess Kate, and Harry and Meghan Markle, as early as November 2018—two years before the Sussexes stepped down from their senior royal roles and relocated to the US, known as Megxit.
Eden points to a photograph taken after a service commemorating the centenary of the World War I armistice at Westminster Abbey, noting the "tense" expressions on William and Kate's faces. He attributes their clenched jaws to a "lack of warmth" towards the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
In the Reading The Royals YouTube series, Eden explained, "This photograph is of them leaving Westminster Abbey after a service to mark Armistice Day, and at the time, we might have thought their seriousness was because of the nature of the event—that they would always look very sombre. But, actually, there was a lot going on behind-the-scenes. There was a reminder at this event of the order of things for Harry and Meghan, because they were seated on the second row behind William and Catherine, who were on the front row with Queen Elizabeth, and with Charles and Camilla."
Eden further observed, "I haven’t noticed this before, but look at their jaws in this photograph, my goodness, they look tense. It’s far from a portrait of a relaxed family together, and this lack of warmth between them came after reports began to emerge that the two courts of William and Catherine, and Harry and Meghan would be splitting."
At the time, reports of tension between the two couples marked a major story because their previous activities, including the Royal Foundation and their offices, were joint endeavors. Eden continued, "These reports suggested that all wasn’t well, and it would later be confirmed that they were going to separate, and it was the first sign of the formal separation between the two households."
