Throughout the year, we’ve had a front-row seat to Prince William very publicly losing the plot. William’s obsession with his brother has reached a creepy level, as “sources close to William” and “royal insiders” spread stories far and wide about how Prince Harry is “desperate” for a “peace deal” with King Charles, because Harry knows that his brother will “punish” him when their father dies. This has been said repeatedly throughout the year, and it’s William’s favorite fantasy: that Harry comes back to the UK, begging for scraps, and that William has all the power and authority to “order” Harry to do this or that. Nevermind that Harry has made it clear that he simply wants to speak to his dad sometimes and that’s it. Nevermind that William continues to scream about this creepy fantasy to anyone who will listen. Well, it looks like “sources close to William” also spoke to royal biographer Robert Hardman. Hardman gave an interview to Tom Sykes at the Daily Beast to promote the new edition of his King Charles biography. Some highlights:
Hardman on how Charles can’t negotiate with Harry independently: “Whatever the king does needs to be done in tandem with both brothers, not just one. He can’t have unilateral discussions if William isn’t in agreement,” Hardman said. Is this because he can’t bequeath William a settlement he can’t live with? “Exactly. Whatever reconciliation or bridge-building happens, it needs to be a three-way process. People keep asking about the king’s feelings, but William also has to be on board, which adds complexity. It’s tricky, and a situation nobody wants. But whatever the way forward is, it has to work for everybody.”
Whether Harry will ever be part of the royal family again: “All things are possible; never say never. The bond between the brothers historically runs deep. While we don’t see the full picture, we know they’re both very private. Some might wonder why Harry wrote a book [his memoir, Spare] if he values privacy, but there’s still much they keep private. This is why William was upset by the book—not because of specific depictions, but because of the breach of trust. Things that happened between the siblings were made public, which is a huge deal for someone who values privacy like William.”
On the “big shock” of Charles & Kate’s cancer diagnoses: “The royal household was aware of what was going on before the public. There was a sense of fragility—things had been going well, and then suddenly they were hit by this news. But he was very matter of fact about it, with no panic. He has a strong sense of spirituality that buoyed him up. He’s brave. He’s the head of state, so there’s a public right to know if he’s capable of fulfilling his duties. There was a decision not to be too heavy-handed about privacy. When he came to London for treatment, he chose to travel in a state car so people could see him. With the princess, it was different; she’s a young, energetic mother of three, and the decision was made to keep it private. She doesn’t have a constitutional role, so she’s entitled to treat it as she wishes.”
On the future succession: “William is pretty much the average age for succession. The historical average age is around 46, and he’s 42 now. There’s also been a public rethinking about William’s position. We’ve often seen him as a young novice, but he’s actually been involved in international public life for over a decade….there’s a sense that he’s ready for whenever the time comes. In the book, I explore what people think he might do differently as king. He’s a different character, he’s more of a regular guy. He’s not spending time reading theology or contemplating existential questions; he has a young family.”
I think Charles is a terrible father and slumlord trash, but I’ve always appreciated the fact that Charles is something of an intellectual. He reads extensively, he has a wide variety of interests and hobbies, and he has a genuine intellectual curiosity. They always try to compare Charles and William with William coming out favorably, but really… William sounds like a dolt and someone who doesn’t have the patience or intellect to read a book or contemplate any theological question. As for the stuff about “William demands to be included in any conversations between Harry and Charles” – good lord. As I said, this is William’s narrative. I think Harry’s narrative is that Charles still refuses to speak to him and it is what it is. All of this BS about “peace treaties” and “settlements” is idiotic and it just shows the toxicity of this horrible family.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.