Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s ongoing feud with Prince William has resulted in the loss of old friends, according to a royal expert. Growing up, William and Harry shared a common circle of friends, but after the brothers stopped speaking to each other post-Megxit, many of their pals were forced to choose sides.
Speaking on Vanity Fair’s podcast “Dynasty: The Royal Family’s Most Challenging Year,” royal expert Katie Nicholl discussed how the rift between the brothers has affected their social circles. Nicholl claimed that many friends chose to maintain ties with William.
“I think the ties have been severed,” she said. “I think there is a sense that, possibly, friends, close friends, society friends, celebrity friends have sort of had to make a little bit of a choice.”
Nicholl shared insights from her sources, saying, “I remember being told by someone at the Palace there was this sense that you had to put your stake in one camp or the other.”
The expert continued, “I think if you look back to that recent society wedding of the Duke of Westminster, it was William who got the invite to that. Harry was invited because they’d been friends forever and a day, but he was basically asked to stand down from that wedding because it would have been very awkward to have had the two brothers at a society wedding like that, together.”
Nicholl concluded, “So I think they probably have lost some friends in all of this.” The fallout from Megxit has not only strained the relationship between the royal brothers but also placed their friends in difficult positions. As William and Harry navigate their respective paths, the divisions within their social circles appear to reflect the broader schism within the royal family.
Harry and Meghan’s departure from royal duties and subsequent relocation to the United States has further complicated matters. The couple’s outspoken stance on various issues and their tell-all interviews have added to the tension between them and the rest of the royal family, particularly William.
As the brothers continue to live separate lives, the impact of their feud on their friendships underscores the far-reaching consequences of their estrangement. While some friends have remained loyal to William, others may have found themselves distanced from both brothers due to the complexities of the situation.
In a year marked by challenges and changes for the royal family, the ongoing rift between William and Harry remains a significant source of tension and loss, not just within the family but among their once-shared social circles.