Big surprise

William breaks his silence on Harry after 6 years

The relationship between Prince William and Prince Harry is considered strained. Now the heir to the throne has spoken about his brother for the first time in six years.

(Bild: APA/Photo by Kirsty O‘Connor/AFP)

It is no longer a secret that the relationship between Prince William and Prince Harry has been rocky for years. Now the heir to the throne has spoken about his younger brother for the first time in six years. According to the British media, the Prince of Wales has extended an olive branch to Harry.

Prince William has not spoken his brother's name in public for six years, according to the Daily Mail. Until now. Because now the 42-year-old has caused a surprise in the brother dispute.

Shares a common childhood memory
In his new documentary "Prince William: We Can End Homelessness", the heir to the throne mentioned his brother - almost in passing - when talking about a shared experience with his mother, Princess Diana.

William described a formative moment in his childhood. Diana took him and Harry to a charity organization that supports the homeless, the Prince of Wales recalled. 

"My mother took me to 'The Passage' - she took Harry and I both there," William explained in an excerpt from the documentary, which was shown on ITV on Saturday. "I must have been eleven, maybe ten years old. I'd never seen anything like it before and I was a bit scared about what to expect," the heir to the throne continued.

Formative moment
It was a beautiful memory, despite the sad circumstance, said William. Diana did "the usual" during the visit: "She made everyone feel relaxed, laughed and joked," he explained. "And I remember thinking at the time: 'Well, if everyone doesn't have a home, they're all going to be very sad.' But it was incredible how happy the environment was."

The relationship between Prince William and Prince Harry is considered strained.

(Bild: APA/ Martin Meissner)

Moments like these have been formative for Prince William. After all, he has made it a matter close to his heart to help people out of homelessness with his "Homewards" project, which he launched in 2023, by finding them accommodation, among other things. 

He also once spent a night on the streets to raise awareness of the issue and appeared as a vendor for a homeless newspaper.

The reporter approached William about the fact that some might wonder if he was the right person to raise the issue of homelessness. William replied that everyone benefits when people have the right to a safe home. "I have no agenda other than to urgently help people who are in need." He also sees this as part of his role.

William did not say Harry's name for years
Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan turned their backs on the British royal family in 2020. In a major interview with Oprah Winfrey shortly afterwards, the two opened up about the problems in the Royal Family. Further revelations followed, including in Harry's memoir "Spare".

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex now live in California with their two children Archie and Lilibet. Visits to their old home are rare, and the brothers are said not to have met in person for a long time.

According to the Daily Mail, William last mentioned his brother's name in 2018. At that time, the two princes were interviewed with their wives Kate and Meghan at the Royal Foundation Forum.