THE ROYALS

Prince Harry Alleges Prince William Physically Attacked Him Over Disagreement About Meghan Markle

Prince William and Harry speaking to one another at a public engagement
Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

It’s becoming clear that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Netflix docuseries was just a drop in the bucket compared to the tsunami of information that’s about to be revealed when Harry’s memoir, Spare, is released next week. The royal has already claimed that his father and brother have shown “absolutely no willingness to reconcile” and are set to make Harry look like a villain. Now, excerpts from the book, as well as talking points from the prince’s recent appearances suggest the familial bond is even more fractured than anyone could have anticipated.

In Spare, Harry refers to William as his “beloved brother and archnemesis.” Michael Stahan asked Harry about his choice of those “strong words” during a recent sit down with Good Morning America and the prince spoke about the constant competition between the two brothers, with an emphasis on William being the “heir” and Harry being the “spare.” According to The Guardian, who leaked excerpts from the book, Harry accuses King Charles of using the term the day the second son was born. “Wonderful! Now you’ve given me an heir and a spare – my work is done,” Charles reportedly told Diana.

The most shocking part of The Guardian’s leaks, however, is the report of a physical confrontation between the two brothers back in 2019. According to the outlet, Harry writes about William calling Meghan “difficult,” “rude,” and “abrasive.” Harry claims William then attacked his brother. “It all happened so fast. So very fast. He grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor. I landed on the dog’s bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me. I lay there for a moment, dazed, then got to my feet and told him to get out,” Harry says. According to Harry, William urged his brother to hit him back, but when Harry refused, William left. He later returned “looking regretful, and apologized.” When Harry accused William of attacking him, the older brother denied it. “I didn’t attack you, Harold,” he reportedly said.

The book isn’t even out yet and already there are reports from sources close to William that he is very upset about what Harry has revealed in its pages. According to Vanity Fair, William “is furious that Harry has leaked details of their private conversations and the damage that Harry is causing the royal family.” William is reportedly now nervous that “everything and anything he says will be made public” and for that reason, he has no plans to comment or react to the book.

The Guardian is reporting that “Harry’s resentment of being the ‘spare’ is the unifying theme of his book,” but Strahan insists it’s more than just about his relationship with William. “He covers so much,” the GMA host said. “He talked about deep grief, the death of his mother, how he dealt with that, his time in the military...and he also talks about his grievances with the press.” Strahan continued, saying Harry is “not holding anything back,” in Spare, and predicted a lot of dropped jaws when the public finals gets their hands on it.