Prince William wasn’t thrilled with Meghan Markle from the get-go, a new book set to be released October 15th alleges. In Battle of Brothers, royal expert Robert Lacey claims that William recruited his uncle Charles Spencer to intervene in his brother Prince Harry‘s new relationship with his now-wife.
Lacey writes in an excerpt: “From time to time Diana‘s younger brother had played something of an honorary godfather to both boys in the years since the death of their mother, and their uncle agreed with William to see what he could do. The result of the Spencer intervention was an even more bitter explosion. Once again Harry refused to slow down. He didn’t blame his uncle. He understood why Diana’s brother should want to help. Yet he was furious with his elder brother for dragging other family members into the row.”
Harry and William were tight through childhood and beyond, but Meghan and Harry’s relationship has led to a massive feud. Since the pair stepped down from royal duties in January, they’ve barely spoken. And at one point in 2017, when Harry and Meghan announced their engagement, they were also reportedly on the outs.
Lacey writes that “fraternal fissure” is so serious, the future of the monarchy is threatened. Kate Middleton and Meghan’s relationship, meanwhile, is not as bad as outsiders have said.
Lacey writes: “Meghan and Kate actually got on rather well from the start. They might not be best-buddy material, but they found themselves, sister-outsiders in their extraordinary royal situation, and both of them cool professionals, treating each other with mutual respect. Each was far too canny to make an enemy of a prospective sister-in-law—it only made sense to be friends. The fundamental conflict was between the two males who had known each other all their lives and had never hesitated to tell each other exactly what they thought and felt.”
SOUTH AFRICA?
Before the pair exited, the Queen wanted them to enjoy some time in South Africa, a UK Commonwealth country, per the book.
“The Queen had heard and read much of Harry and Meghan's wish to live an 'ordinary' existence.” Lacey also notes that the Queen “could recall such a period in her own life — her 'Malta Moments' between 1949 and 1951, when Philip was serving as a naval officer on the Mediterranean island and she would fly out to stay with him.”
“In Malta, Elizabeth had tasted 'normal' life as a young naval officer's wife, not a king's daughter. It had set her up well to come back home and do her duty,” Lacey's text continues.
“Modern South Africa, with its black-majority rule, could be just the spot — and the couple themselves seemed interested by the notion. Their relationship had taken flower in Africa after all, so maybe it, or somewhere else in the Commonwealth, might provide their next step. Johannesburg could be their Malta.”