Rift between William and Harry?

[velveteenwabbit]

Do you think the rumours of a rift between the two are true? I thought the press may be blowing it out of proportion then saw they've disbanded their joint charity, ok fair enough they each have their own families etc... but today on William's birthday Harry and Meghan's Instagram account have posted a very basic "happy birthday to the duke of Cambridge" without any affection at all. Makes me think the rift must be true.

Waiting 10 years to marry someone doesn't make you affair proof. It could equally mean he didn't want to get married but felt it was about time. Also, having parents that had affairs doesn't stop you from having affairs yourself.

Sadly statistically if your parent had an affair, you are more likely to.

If he doesn't have an affair he will be ending a long royal tradition going back centuries. Almost part of the job specification.

What, you mean on Twitter, @jennymanara? Still no proof it is true. And tweeting a lie is still libel.

I never understand why people say "it's been reported abroad" as if they have some amazing insight the rest of us lack. The internet exists.

I think it's very unlikely an injunction has been granted anyway. The reticence on the part of the press here is probably a reflection of stricter defamation laws in the UK and the media wishing to keep the Royals on side.

Nobody said there is any proof. Evidence that would stand up in a court of law is different from it being leaked. And yes I think he probably did have an affair.

So you freely admit there is no proof but still think it happened because .... ?

They originally intended the RF to involve all four once Meghan joined. They did a mega launch event and so on. So something has happened to suggest a split. In that launch event someone asked them how they resolved differences and there was an awkward silence and William said: well, sometimes we don’t. Or something like that.

Moreover Harry has in recent public appearances refused to speak to William. It’s fairly noticeable. They used to do joint events together, appear together (without significant others) and haven’t for a while.
And the palace haven’t denied or tried to deny any rumours of the rift (by putting the brothers forward for joint engagements). Why they have drifted apart I don’t know?
The two speculative theories are:

• it’s Meghan’s fault and Will advised Harry not to marry her.
• it’s Will’s fault and he had an affair and they did a bunch of horrendous press leaks about Meghan to deflect attention.

And yes the US press has been full of it including the fact that Rose Hanbury appeared without a wedding ring at the State Dinner (which she knew would be noticed). I believe the speculation on this side of the pond is as follows (I was very sick and bored last week- DH was astonished at my ever expanding knowledge of the Royals): That the affair happened pre Louis. Kate found out and removed this woman from their social circle (widely reported in the UK press). They then had Louis and are more or less stable. Rose H was furious at having been treated like this and leaked the story. But it has backfired and now her husband has disappeared for months on end leaving her with 3 children and she isn’t wearing a wedding ring any more.

I wouldn’t read anything into dividing the foundation. I work in this sector ( family philanthropy) and it was widely thought that the foundation wouldn’t work with 2 different sets of priorities. If you look at the big family foundations, most of them have split over the years as the new generations wanted to take things in different directions.

Why is it so unlikely he's had an affair? He comes from a background where its almost expected. Especially after the wife has produced the heir and spare. They have huge amounts of spare time and opportunity. Boredom and temptation coupled with no disapproval from your peers make it quite likely. There have been lots of negative stories about Meghan and Harry that look like a smokescreen, including ridiculous stories that Kate and William leaked the story about the affair, throwing their friend under a bus just to flush out leaks.

I think Harry said something about the Sussexes wanting to pursue ‘commercial ventures’ which would not be okay for the future King and Queen so at that point the split was inevitable. But I don’t think it was inevitable when they first got together and made joint appearances with Meghan.
It must be difficult to be H&M. They have star power but in 30 years when the Cambridge kids probably have their own kids they will be really far down the pecking order. And I doubt they will have the same draw. I think it’s hard to know that whatever happens W&K will ‘win’ so H&M have a limited amount of time to make the most of their star power (financially or philanthropically or both).

Fell a looooong way down the rabbit hole reading about William’s alleged affair - didn’t know about that. MN continually educated me.

... or even educates

@Impatienceismyvirtue

.....or even fills your head with nonsense and tittle tattle.

I find all this stuff quite fascinating. In the same way I like watching a good boxset, I realise it's all to be taken with a pinch of salt but I still can't help reading about it.

I feel MM has had a tough time, in the press, but I reckon she knew it was going to happen (actress, divorcee, mixed race - the vapid tabloids were always going to have a feeding frenzy on her) and her previous life in Hollywood will have prepared her for that.

I do believe there are Royal spin doctors, working to make sure the public is only told what they want them to be told.

I don't know if W had an affair. I really hope he didn't, because I always thought he was a good egg.

Harry is looking very grumpy in photos recently (possibly editing, only publishing the photos that fit the tabloid narrative)

At one time Charles and the Palace remained very tight lipped about Camilla. Diana was all but naming her and was made out to be a crazed liar (my interest goes back a long way 😂 tbf Netflix didn't exist back then) So, I'm not willing to totally dismiss the affair claims.

And now, I need to do the dishes.

PCohle I am not a royalist, so I don't really care although it does actually make me think less of him.
I know there is no proof that would stand up in a court of law. But then again I am not in a jury box in a court of law.
I think on the balance of probabilities that it is true. Blind Gossip as a site does IME tend to be very accurate. And there are lots of little signals that support it such as the tweet the OP mentioned.

I love the way posters say “William didn’t have an affair” as though their being convinced of it makes it fact. Same for those who post that he definitely did.

All I will say, having worked in the media in a previous life, is that when the press can’t tell the full story because of agreements or injunctions, they will dance around it in order to still insinuate the story - its a loophole they use all the time. Printing the story without really printing the story.

It's not worth reading gossipy stuff like that!

When I log out of email I get news headlines and have seen that but didn't read the clip. I know the press make stuff up or exaggerate - where there is no controversy it will be invented.

No, I do not believe there is a rift between William and Harry.

And there are lots of little signals that support it such as the tweet the OP mentioned.

But the tweet, at best, could support that maybe there has been a falling out. Not that anyone's been unfaithful.

I'm not some big Royal apologist I just think it's bizarre that people are so happy to jump on board with nasty rumors knowing full well there's no evidence behind them. They and their kids are real people who have to read this shit.

There's no way a royal male would have extra marital dalliances. It would be unprecedented...

Oh.

I agree with a PP that when Harry was single he was the goofy younger kid brother who was involved in Kate and William’s life. It’s obvious that Meghan’s arrival has changed the dynamic. She’ll have her media people involved in how she wants them portrayed and I’m sure it’s pissed a few people off and caused strain.

I completely believe the issue is between Harry and William and I don’t think it’s because of an affair. They are both maturing into their roles and there’s obviously a butting of heads. Give it some time and I suspect it will resolve. Space will definitely help that abc don’t be surprised if in the future Meghan and Harry relocate the the US.

PCohle I am not jumping on any band wagon.
No none of us know if he had an affair or not, I am simply saying on the balance of probability I think he probably did.

Megan is career and business woman used to navigating, negotiating all sorts.

I can't imagine her fitting in a close working partnership with people who havant had too. Her skills are way more advanced.

Similarly, Kate is well honed in Royal life and etiquette whereas Megan is adapting.

It's not surprising at all there may have been clashes! No one's fault and I'm sure the more separate their business joint affairs are, the happier they will all be

I'm convinced that William hasn't had an affair that is why he waited so long to marry Kate

Get this .... he probably didn’t.

when the press can’t tell the full story because of agreements or injunctions, they will dance around it in order to still insinuate the story

Exactly. I thought this when the weird “Turnip Toffs” story first came out. It was something so incredibly mundane that I guessed it had to be covering for something pretty juicy!

in the RF ... appearances really do matter and the people involved know that. Everything is very publicly managed, so to do the absolute bare minimum is a clear signal

I often try to avoid this kind of thought, but this time I have to agree. There's no need to break out the hearts and flowers, but then there's no need to post anything, and the cool tone compared to that they've used with others is hard to miss