EXCLUSIVE: Harry 'Resented' William and Kate's 'Slow-Burn' Romance, Royal Author Claims
Prince Harry wasn't happy with how differently his brother's relationship was treated, an author has claimed.
Aug. 4 2026, Published 6:10 a.m. ET
Prince Harry is said to have privately resented the years Prince William and Princess Catherine were given to nurture their relationship before marrying, with a royal author claiming the contrast only heightened tensions between the brothers as Harry's own romance with Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, unfolded at a much faster pace.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the differing paths to marriage are said to have become another point of friction within the Royal family during the years leading up to Harry and Meghan's 2018 wedding.
Prince Harry resented the time William and Princess Catherine had before marrying, according to a royal author.
William, 44, and Catherine, also 44, first met while studying at the University of St Andrews in Scotland in 2001.
Their relationship developed gradually over almost a decade, surviving a brief split before William proposed during a trip to Kenya in 2010.
They married at Westminster Abbey in April 2011. By contrast, Harry, 41, met Markle, 44, in July 2016.
The couple publicly confirmed their relationship later that year, announced their engagement in November 2017 and married in May 2018.
Royal author Simon Vigar has now argued the starkly different timelines reflected changing attitudes within the monarchy but also contributed to disagreements between the two princes.
Princes Harry Resented Slow Pace Urged by William, Author Claims
Prince William is said to have been worried Harry's relationship with Meghan Markle moved too quickly.
A source familiar with discussions surrounding the brothers' relationship claimed: "Harry couldn't help comparing his own experience with William's. From his perspective, his brother and Catherine had years to build their relationship away from intense pressure, making it a slow-burn.
"It gave them time to understand exactly what royal life would involve before making such a significant commitment. Harry felt circumstances moved much more quickly for him and Meghan, and he believed there was far less opportunity for that same gradual adjustment."
Speaking on the Daily Mail's Palace Confidential podcast, Vigar said Catherine had been afforded years to decide whether joining the Royal family was the right choice before fully embracing the role.
Discussing Harry and Markle's relationship, he said lessons learned from the marriage of Diana, Princess of Wales, and the then Prince Charles had effectively been forgotten.
Vigar declared: "William was concerned it was all happening too quickly. Harry bristled at that and didn't like his brother's reaction to that."
'There Was Little Reason to Delay'
Author Simon Vigar claimed Princess Catherine had years to adapt to royal expectations.
The author also claimed Harry feared it would be difficult to find someone willing to embrace the demands of royal life, making his relationship with Meghan especially important to him.
Another royal source said the contrasting courtships inevitably shaped the brothers' outlooks.
"William believed the slow pace of his relationship with Catherine had strengthened their partnership and helped prepare them for the enormous responsibilities they would eventually shoulder," they claimed. "Harry saw things differently. He felt that once he and Meghan knew they wanted to spend their lives together, there was little reason to delay, and he struggled with what he viewed as doubts from those closest to him."
Vigar argued while Diana came from an aristocratic background and appeared naturally suited to royal life, Catherine had become the most successful person to marry into the House of Windsor because she was allowed to experience a relatively normal relationship before entering the institution full-time.
Fast Romance Led to Fast-Tracked Wedding
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Prince Harry felt his romance with Markle progressed at a warp drive pace, the author claimed.
He said: "That's something Harry never had and clearly resented. The relationship with Meghan, once they mutually decided this is it, which was very early on, it went into warp drive, and they were married in 2018."
Harry and Markle went public with their relationship four months after meeting.
In September 2017, Markle told Vanity Fair they were in love before relocating to London weeks later. Their engagement followed in November, with the couple marrying at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, on May 19, 2018.
William and Catherine, meanwhile, spent years studying, living and socializing together before becoming engaged in 2010, after nearly a decade as a couple, and married the following year in a ceremony watched by millions around the world.
