Prince William's Royal Rise 'Cuts Deep' for Isolated Prince Harry — As He Believed His Older Brother Would 'Struggle' Without Him
Prince William is 'blossoming' in his royal role without Prince Harry in his life, according to a royal expert.
June 10 2026, Published 3:24 p.m. ET
Prince Harry is reportedly struggling to watch Prince William flourish as the future king, especially after once believing his older brother would have a far tougher time navigating royal life without him at his side, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The Duke of Sussex, 41, never expected William to step so seamlessly into the spotlight, with the heir to the throne's exceptional popularity and confidence only underscoring how the brothers' lives have diverged since Harry's royal exit in 2020.
Prince William Is 'Blossoming' Without Prince Harry
Prince William has been thriving being one step away from the throne without the support of Prince Harry.
"He sees William blossoming, and he secretly had hoped that William would have more of a struggle and need him," a Sussex source told former People and Us Weekly editor Dan Wakeford, who wrote about it in his Celebrity Intelligence newsletter.
Wakeford said he spoke to "several people close to both brothers to assess where things stand," and Harry's pain cuts deep, as he is clearly on the outs while William is thriving without him.
"He's been waiting for the call. That would be his dream come true. He regrets leaving," an insider dished about the prince's decision to quit royal life and move to California with wife Meghan Markle.
Prince William and Harry's Silence 'Stretched for Three Years'
Prince Harry has reportedly gotten the cold shoulder from his brother since 2022.
Things have become so fractured between the brothers since Harry's departure that he no longer even has a direct way to contact William.
Wakeford noted, "Harry doesn't have his brother's phone number. At this stage, sources close to the Duke of Sussex confirm, even if he did, William wouldn't pick up."
"The man who was once one half of the most famous sibling act in the world is waiting for a call that may never come, and the silence has now stretched to nearly three years," he continued.
The Brothers Briefly Reunited Ahead of Queen Elizabeth II's Funeral
The last joint event the brothers shared together was a walkabout with their wives ahead of the queen's funeral.
The last time the brothers were believed to have actually spent time together in person was at their grandmother Queen Elizabeth II's funeral in September 2022.
Prior to the service, both William and Harry, along with their wives, did a joint walkabout outside Windsor Castle, giving royal fans hope that perhaps they could have been brought together once again by the family's loss.
The brothers were seen speaking to each other ahead of greeting mourners, who gave them flowers and heartfelt condolences on the monarch's passing at age 96.
Prince William Is 'Done' With Prince Harry
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Prince William reportedly has a 'firewall' up to prevent Prince Harry from contacting him.
Any goodwill the brothers may have rebuilt while coming together for the queen's funeral quickly evaporated when Harry and Markle's bombshell Netflix docuseries dropped in December 2022, only to be followed weeks later by the duke's explosive memoir, Spare.
Wakeford revealed on a recent episode of The Royals Uncensored podcast that Harry, portraying William's wife, Kate Middleton, as "cold" in a series of anecdotes in the book, made the future monarch realize, "I am done. I don't want to pursue this. I'm done with this drama," regarding his brother.
Multiple royal insiders told Wakeford that a virtual "firewall" has been erected around William, making it nearly impossible for Harry to contact his estranged brother directly.
However, sources insist a quiet behind-the-scenes diplomatic effort is underway to eventually bring the feuding siblings back together, with the 2027 Birmingham Invictus Games emerging as a potential setting for a reunion. Wakeford reported that there is even a "newly appointed royal official" who has "made repairing this relationship his personal mission."
