Kate Middleton had "less of an interest" than Prince William in convincing Prince Harry to stay in his royal role. A new biography sheds light on how the Prince and Princess of Wales dealt with the big announcement. When Prince Harry stepped back from his royal role, Kate Middleton and Prince William reacted differently.
Journalist Russell Myers describes the Prince and Princess' reactions to this shocking decision in his new book, "William and Catherine: The Monarchy's New Era: The Inside Story," which is published on March 10. In January 2020, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced their desire to "step back as senior members of the royal family" and live between the United Kingdom and North America.
In an excerpt published by The Mirror, the author explains that “Catherine was less interested than her husband in persuading Harry to stay in his current role.” Myers explains that the Princess believed that the key differences between William and Harry as “heir and reserve” meant that Harry demanded more from his role than being a secondary figure.
On the other hand, the passage emphasizes that William was deeply saddened by his brother's decision to leave.
"He and Harry had been estranged for years, but now he knew there would be no turning back," Myers writes.
"Favorite memories from their childhood, from supporting each other after the tragic death of their mother, to growing up in the public eye, had already lost their relevance due to the rift within the family."
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex moved to California in 2020, where they are raising their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. In their initial statement on the withdrawal, Meghan and Harry said they wanted to be “financially independent.” However, during a meeting called the “Sandringham Summit,” chaired by Queen Elizabeth after the announcement, it became clear that a role that would allow them to be partially involved in royal roles but not fully engaged could not exist.
Over the years, the rift between Prince Harry and the rest of the royal family has deepened, although he last met with his father, King Charles, in September 2025. Despite this positive step, Prince Harry's relationship with his older brother remains strained. The public conflict in 2020 and Harry and Meghan's withdrawal from royal life, along with a 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, a Netflix documentary, and Harry's memoir, which criticized the royal family, led to a further deterioration in the relationship between the two brothers.
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