Prince William deliberately distanced himself from Prince Harry as he prepares for the throne: butler
Prince William has deliberately distanced himself from Prince Harry, deepening a rift that remains unresolved six years later.
The claim was made by Princess Diana’s former butler, Paul Burrell, who said he doesn’t believe the siblings will reconcile anytime soon — if ever.
Queen Elizabeth II’s one-time footman has written a new memoir, "The Royal Insider," in which he details his decades-long career serving in the British royal household and his encounters behind palace doors.
"I think William has distanced himself from Harry a lot more than people realize," Burrell told Fox News Digital.
"Because William’s path is very different from Harry’s. As he gets nearer and nearer to the throne, which will be in a few years, he has to remain isolated. He has to be in a world that is very tight and protected."
"He can’t let things leak out," said Burrell. "He doesn’t want to live in a world with a leaky sieve. He doesn’t want to live in a world that can’t be controlled because, to be a monarch, you have to control the environment. You have to look after the crown."
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Fox News Digital reached out to Kensington Palace for comment. A Buckingham Palace spokesperson previously told Fox News Digital, "We don’t comment on such books."
Harry has been estranged from his family since he and his wife, Meghan Markle, stepped back as senior royals in 2020. At the time, they cited the unbearable intrusions of the British press and the lack of support from the palace as their reasons for the move.
After the couple settled in California, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex aired their grievances in interviews and documentaries. Harry’s 2023 memoir, "Spare," which revealed embarrassing details about the House of Windsor and exposed his rivalry with William, further strained relations.
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Royal experts previously told Fox News Digital that William and Harry are not on speaking terms.
But the brothers’ feud may have begun well before Harry’s exit from the U.K.
When the 41-year-old began dating the former American actress in 2016, the relationship progressed quickly, with the "Suits" alum meeting senior royals early on. The couple announced their engagement in November 2017 and married the following year.
According to multiple royal experts, William, 43, was concerned about Harry’s whirlwind romance and reportedly advised him to "take as much time as you need" before making a lifelong commitment.
William’s view, as portrayed in these accounts, was to ensure Harry didn’t rush into marriage before Meghan, 44, fully understood the pressures of royal life as a newcomer.
Harry, however, is said to have interpreted William’s caution as a lack of support — or even skepticism — toward Meghan. Experts say that’s when their relationship turned frosty.
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Today, Burrell said William is focused on protecting his family from potential new tell-alls and leaks — leaving little room for reconciliation and cementing the brothers’ deepening divide.
"Our dear late queen put the crown first," Burrell explained. "It was the most important thing in her life — her crown, her people, her Commonwealth of countries. William sees it differently. He puts his family first — his wife and children — then comes the crown."
Still, "the crown has to be protected," Burrell said.
"That thousand years of royal history has to be protected, and that will be in William’s hands," said Burrell. "He can’t afford to let it break while he’s in control of it. So, William is very mindful, and his world is very, very protected. His little bubble of himself, [his wife] Catherine and the children are isolated in a way. But he has to do that to keep it safe."
"I do applaud Harry’s move," said Burrell. "It’s not easy for any member of the royal family to tread a different path. But I don’t think there’s any room for reconciliation. I don’t think that is [happening] anytime soon, if ever. Because you see, too many words have been said, and too much dirty laundry has been laundered in public, really, for the royal family. That’s unforgivable."
"Harry knew the rules," Burrell added.
In May, Harry told the BBC he wanted to reconcile with his family.
"I would love reconciliation with my family," he said at the time. "There’s no point in continuing to fight anymore. I don’t know how much longer my father has."
Harry admitted that "some members of my family will never forgive me" for writing his memoir. He added, "It would be nice to have that reconciliation part now. If they don’t want that, that’s entirely up to them."
Burrell claimed the queen "reluctantly" allowed her grandson and his wife to leave the U.K. He said the late monarch once held high hopes that the couple would play a significant role in supporting the monarchy.
"She wanted them to stay in the royal family," said Burrell. "I think they could have done incredible work within the royal family as the queen’s ambassadors, and now the king’s ambassadors. His son and his daughter-in-law would be highlighting people’s plight and going to countries in the world that need help, the way Diana did. I think the king would’ve loved that and Harry would’ve loved that."
Burrell said Harry and Meghan’s push for independence came at a steep price — one William has not forgiven or forgotten.
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"It broke the line and the thread between them and the royal family — appearing on national television to discuss private matters, entering the world of commercialism, selling your soul to the world," he said.
"The royals don’t do that. The royals keep tight, and they keep close to each other. Look at the difference between William and Kate and Meghan and Harry. A huge world apart. Those two worlds will never come together again."
Burrell claimed that King Charles is said to be heartbroken that he hasn’t gotten the chance to bond with Harry’s two young children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. They are being raised in the wealthy, coastal city of Montecito.
"It’s sad for Archie and Lilibet, who will never know that world. Their father came from that world, and they will never know their cousins and the people who populate that world.
"It’s sad for the king, who can’t embrace all his grandchildren at the same time. He can’t put his arms around Archie and Lilibet the same way that he can around [William’s children] George, Charlotte and Louis. I think he’s very sad."
"I think Princess Diana would be very upset to know that her boys were not on speaking terms and lived on different continents with an ocean — an ocean — dividing them," Burrell added.