Photo — Prince William: Prince_William_at_Ham_Polo_Club.jpg (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Prince Harry: https://www.dvidshub.net/image/928865 (Public domain)
The Short Version
The public rift between Prince William and Prince Harry escalated around 2018 following Harry's marriage to Meghan Markle and their subsequent decision to step back from royal duties in 2020. Media interviews, memoirs, and docuseries have detailed allegations of physical altercations, palace disputes, and continued estrangement.
Latest Development
Court filings in privacy suit allege Daily Mail publisher targeted William and Kate
Lawyers for Prince Harry submitted filings in London's High Court alleging that Associated Newspapers had previously targeted Prince William and Kate Middleton through blagging and private investigators.
October 2, 2025 · Legal filing
The Beef
Chronological, newest first. Every entry cites a source.
Beef timeline
October 2, 2025
Court filings in privacy suit allege Daily Mail publisher targeted William and Kate
Legal filingLawyers for Prince Harry submitted filings in London's High Court alleging that Associated Newspapers had previously targeted Prince William and Kate Middleton through blagging and private investigators.
Source ↗October 2, 2025
Prince William makes public reference to shared upbringing with Harry
Public statementSpeaking on The Reluctant Traveler, Prince William made a rare public reference to Prince Harry, noting he hopes not to regress to certain practices from their shared royal childhood.
Source ↗January 8, 2023
Prince Harry states brother showed no willingness to reconcile
Public statementIn broadcast interviews prior to the release of Spare, Prince Harry stated that Prince William and King Charles III had shown no willingness to reconcile privately.
Source ↗December 2022
Netflix docuseries details internal royal rift
AllegationIn the docuseries Harry & Meghan, Prince Harry alleged that palace staffers put out a joint statement in the brothers' names without his consent to deny reports that William had bullied him.
Source ↗January 2020
Prince Harry and Meghan announce step back from royal duties
Verified eventPrince Harry and Meghan Markle announced their intention to step back as senior working royals. Harry later claimed William shouted at him during a subsequent family summit regarding the decision.
Source ↗October 2019
Prince Harry acknowledges different paths in television interview
Public statementDuring an ITV documentary in South Africa, Prince Harry publicly acknowledged tension with Prince William, stating they were on different paths but would always be brothers.
Source ↗2019
Prince Harry alleges physical confrontation at Kensington Palace
AllegationIn his memoir Spare, Prince Harry alleged that Prince William called Meghan Markle abrasive and pushed Harry to the ground during an argument in early 2019, resulting in scrapes and bruises.
Source ↗December 2018
Reports emerge of disagreement surrounding Meghan Markle
ReportedAccording to royal reporter Katie Nicholl, Prince Harry and Prince William experienced a disagreement around Christmas 2018 when Harry alleged William was not doing enough to welcome Meghan Markle into the family.
Source ↗
Where It Stands
Active. The brothers remain largely estranged and reside on separate continents. Prince Harry lives in California while Prince William continues his duties as heir apparent in the United Kingdom, with both making occasional public statements reflecting on their history.
Related Beefs
Same people, same category.
Related Beefs
Blake LivelyJustin Baldoni
This demonstration record describes a dispute between two co-workers on a film production that escalated into duelling legal complaints.
Johnny DeppAmber Heard
Actor Johnny Depp filed a $50 million defamation suit against his ex-wife, actress Amber Heard, following a 2018 Washington Post op-ed she w…
Britney SpearsJamie Spears
A long-running legal and personal dispute between pop star Britney Spears and her father, Jamie Spears, centered on his control over her lif…
Joan CrawfordBette Davis
The decades-long rivalry between Hollywood icons Joan Crawford and Bette Davis spanned studio dominance, personal romantic conflicts, Oscar…
Sources
- 1.SourceCourt filings in privacy suit allege Daily Mail publisher targeted William and Kate · Oct 2, 2025
- 2.SourcePrince William makes public reference to shared upbringing with Harry · Oct 2, 2025
- 3.SourcePrince Harry states brother showed no willingness to reconcile · Jan 8, 2023
- 4.SourceNetflix docuseries details internal royal rift ·
- 5.SourcePrince Harry and Meghan announce step back from royal duties ·
- 6.SourcePrince Harry acknowledges different paths in television interview ·
- 7.SourcePrince Harry alleges physical confrontation at Kensington Palace ·
- 8.SourceReports emerge of disagreement surrounding Meghan Markle ·
Allegations are attributed to the party that made them and are not statements of fact.