08 January 2024 , 09:36
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Prince Harry made headlines following the release of his tell-all memoir Spare - not least because he documented, in detail, a long-running rivalry with his brother, Prince William.
In the book, Harry shared instances of petty sibling squabbles and even alleged physical fights. And it seems their issues stem all the way back to their childhood.
In one excerpt, Harry took issue with their shared bedroom at Balmoral, stating that William - as the heir - was given preference. He explained that Balmoral had 50 bedrooms, one of which had been divided for him and 'Willy', with adults referring to it as the nursery.
"Willy had the larger half, with a double bed, a good-sized basin, a cupboard with mirrored doors, a beautiful window looking down on the courtyard, the fountain, the bronze statue of a roe deer buck," Harry wrote.
"My half of the room was far smaller, less luxurious. I never asked why. I didn't care. But I also didn't need to ask. Two years older than me, Willy was the Heir, whereas I was the Spare."
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Prince Harry took issue with his bedroom at BalmoralElsewhere in the book, Harry also claimed that when he started at Eton, William told him to pretend they didn't know each other. Harry wrote: "For the last two years, he explained, Eton had been his sanctuary. No kid brother tagging along, pestering him with questions, pushing up on his social circle. He was forging his own life, and he wasn't willing to give it up."
His stance came as no surprise to Harry, however, given William apparently "loathed it" when their mother, Princess Diana, dressed them in the same outfits or when "anyone made the mistake of thinking us a package deal".
Relations between William and Harry are now at an all-time low - and there are questions whether Harry will now ever reunite with the royal family.
Rumours swirled that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were desperate to spend Christmas with The Firm in the UK, but instead they spent the festive period at their home in Montecito, California. The Royal Family, meanwhile, put on a united front as they gathered at Sandringham.
Royal author Phil Dampier believes the Sussexes missed out on the perfect opportunity to repair their relationship with the Royal Family. He suggested bonding at Christmas would have also boosted Meghan and Harry's popularity.
"Harry and Meghan have let it be known that they see 2024 as their year of redemption, to which my reaction is good luck with that. It's a trite phrase dreamt up by their Hollywood PR people and in reality means very little. Actions speak louder than words," he said.