Prince William and Princess Kate Had Very Different Opinions on Prince Harry's Resignation

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and the Prince and Princess of Wales celebrate the Centenary of the RAF
(Image credit: Getty Images)
  • A new royal biography documents Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's resignation, reporting that Prince William and Princess Kate had different views on it.
  • "Catherine had less interest than her husband in trying to persuade Harry to stay in his current role," Russell Myers reported in a recently published excerpt of William and Catherine: The Monarchy's New Era: The Inside Story.
  • "William was intensely saddened at his brother’s decision to quit," Myers continued. "He and Harry had been drifting apart for years, but now he knew deep down that there would be no turning back."

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped down from royal life and relocated to California in 2020. And in the years that followed, their relationship with the Mountbatten-Windsors - and particularly the Prince and Princess of Wales - has become increasingly strained.

In fact, following the release of Prince Harry's memoir Spare and the Duke and Duchess' tell-all documentary series, Harry & Meghan, the Sussexes and the Waleses are reported to have stopped speaking.

The Prince and Princess of Wales and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex at Windsor Castle in 2022

(Image credit: Getty Images)

This week, royal expert Russell Myers appeared to weigh in on the situation, with The Mirror publishing an excerpt of his upcoming book, William and Catherine: The Monarchy's New Era: The Inside Story.

And in a surprise revelation, Myers reported that Prince William and Princess Kate had very different thoughts on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's resignation.

"Catherine had less interest than her husband in trying to persuade Harry to stay in his current role," Myers reported of Princess Kate's reaction to the Duke and Duchess' decision.

"She believed William and Harry’s fundamental differences as the ‘heir and the spare’ had created the inevitability of Harry wanting more from his role than being a bit-part player."

However, Prince William reportedly felt differently, with Myers noting that "William was intensely saddened at his brother’s decision to quit."

"He and Harry had been drifting apart for years, but now he knew deep down that there would be no turning back,” read the excerpt from Myers' new book.

"Fond memories of their childhood, from helping each other through the tragedy of their mother’s death, to growing up in the public eye, were now tarnished by the division at the heart of the family."

William and Catherine: The Monarchy's New Era: The Inside Story by Russell Myers is set for release on 10 March 2026.

We will continue to update this story.

Jenny Proudfoot
Contributing Features Editor

Jenny Proudfoot is an award-winning journalist, specialising in lifestyle, culture, entertainment, international development and politics. After working at Marie Claire UK for seven years - rising from intern to Features Editor - she is now a freelance contributor to the News and Features section.

In 2021, Jenny was named as a winner on the PPA's '30 under 30' list, and was also listed as a rising star in journalism.