Prince William 'Distanced Himself' From Estranged Brother Prince Harry as He Prepares for the Throne, Princess Diana's Ex-Butler Claims
Prince William and his brother have been 'distanced' since Harry stepped down from royal duties.
Feb. 16 2026, Published 4:20 p.m. ET
Prince William has seemingly been in no rush to heal the broken bonds between himself and his younger brother, Prince Harry, as he prepares to assume the throne in the coming years, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Paul Burrell, Princess Diana's former butler, told Fox News Digital William has actually "distanced himself" from the red-headed royal "a lot more than people realize."
Prince William and Prince Harry Are on Different 'Paths'
The future king has 'distanced' himself 'a lot' from Prince Harry, according to Paul Burrell.
Although there are undoubtedly many reasons behind the royal brothers' years-long rift, Burrell suggested part of the cause is that William's "path" in life is "very different" from Harry's. While William is next in line to rule after the eventual death of their father, King Charles III, Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, stepped back from their duties as royals in 2020 and have since built a life in Montecito, California.
"As [William] gets nearer and nearer to the throne, which will be in a few years, he has to remain isolated," Burrell noted. "He has to be in a world that is very tight and protected. He can’t let things leak out."
"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," he added. "You have to look after the crown."
Inside Prince William and Prince Harry's Clash Over Princess Diana Doc
Prince Harry is said to be planning a documentary about his late mother, Princess Diana, to mark the 30th anniversary of her death.
Amid their broadening rift, William reportedly sought advice from attorneys after learning that Harry planned to produce a documentary about their mother, Diana, in honor of the 30th anniversary of her tragic death.
According to sources, Harry has long held the belief that Diana's life and death have been handled badly and that she deserved more "empathy and support."
"Harry is utterly convinced that commemorating his mother is something he has an inherent right to do as her son," a source shared with Radar. "In his mind, Diana's memory is not the property of the institution or something that requires his brother's consent. He strongly resists the idea that the palace, or anyone else, should have the authority to decide how her life is remembered or presented."
Prince William reportedly spoke to lawyers in an effort to stop the documentary from happening.
However, William finds the idea of the deep-dive into his late mother's life "sickening and deeply distressing," according to insiders.
"What has struck a nerve for William is the extent of Meghan's role in the project," added a source. "He feels that allowing her to influence or derive any benefit from Diana's legacy crosses a deeply personal boundary, and he experiences it as a betrayal of his mother rather than a tribute."
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Princess Diana 'felt everything so intensely' prior to her death, a source told Radar.
As for Diana, other sources told Radar that she was very sensitive and would have been deeply pained over her sons' estrangement if she were still alive.
"Diana would fly into crying fits at the drop of a hat because she felt everything so intensely," the source said at the time. "If she were alive today, seeing war, division, and even the distance between William and Harry, it would have devastated her ... She internalized global pain as if it were personal. The estrangement between her boys alone would have broken her heart."
