Gina Heslop
Prince Harry’s relationship with the royal family, especially with his brother Prince William and his niece and nephews, has become strained over the years.
This tension began when Harry and Meghan Markle decided to step down from their royal duties and move to California. Their departure not only affected their role as working royals but also impacted Harry’s bond with his brother’s children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
When Prince George was born, Harry was overjoyed to be an uncle. He mentioned in his memoir Spare that he was excited to spend time with George and looked forward to building a strong relationship with him.
However, Harry wrote that he wasn’t invited over to William and Kate’s house as often as he would have liked, assuming they were busy starting their own family. Despite this, Harry was able to form a close bond with George and later with Charlotte.
However, Harry’s move to the United States left little time for him to connect with Prince Louis, who was still very young when Harry stepped down from his royal duties.
Since then, Harry has only seen Louis a few times. Still, he tried to maintain a connection by continuing a tradition his mother, Princess Diana, started.
To mark Louis’ christening, Harry bought him a first edition of Winnie-the-Pooh, hoping to build a collection of first editions for his niece and nephews. Harry spent £8,000 ($10,000) on the book, a gesture that symbolized his desire to remain connected to William’s children despite the growing distance.
In Spare, Harry expressed his concern that one of William’s children might feel like a “spare,” just as he did. He feared that, like him, one of the siblings might feel overshadowed by the heir to the throne. Although William made it clear that his children were not Harry’s responsibility, Harry still worried about their futures.
Harry’s comments about William’s children stirred controversy, with royal experts criticizing him for discussing his nephews and niece in this way.
William and Kate, on the other hand, are reportedly making an effort to ensure that all their children, not just George, feel equally important.
Experts believe William and Kate might even encourage Charlotte and Louis to pursue careers outside the royal family if they choose to, ensuring that they lead meaningful lives regardless of their place in the line of succession.
Now that Harry has distanced himself from the royal family, it’s likely that George, Charlotte, and Louis are starting to wonder why they don’t see their uncle as much as they used to.
Royal experts suggest the children are probably asking questions about Harry’s absence and why he no longer lives in Britain. Although Harry once had a close relationship with his brother’s family, the divide between them has left the royal children missing the presence of their uncle.
Many hope that, despite the tension, the royal family will be able to mend their broken relationships in the future.
