The Surprising Place Prince Harry Decided To Tell William He Was Expecting His First Child

The royals have always been tight-lipped about private matters, letting the public in on only what they deem essential. As such, we were left with questions when the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Harry and Meghan, stepped away from their official posts in 2020 and relocated to America. While speculation and rumors swelled, no one seemed to have the full gist until Harry decided to spill the beans in his memoir titled "Spare," which was released on January 10, 2023.

Though the memoir sparked controversy, it also highlighted some wholesome moments. One such instance involved Harry and his older brother, William, the Prince of Wales. Roughly five months after Harry and Meghan's high-profile wedding in 2018, the two discovered they were expecting their first child. Harry chose a surprising setting to break the news to his family members: his cousin Princess Eugenie's wedding in October.

At the drinks reception at St. George's Hall, Harry and Meghan pulled William aside to share the joyous news. His immediate response was: "We must tell Kate." Despite the couple's hesitance, the soon-to-be-uncle was eager to share the big news with his wife, Kate Middleton. Her reaction mirrored William's enthusiasm, with smiles and congratulations. At that moment, the royals seemed like the close-knit family we thought they were.

Prince Harry's memoir not only provided insight into the timeline of Harry's rift with the royal family and the close bond he once shared with William, but also revealed some secrets that the royal family preferred to remain hidden. One of the most startling revelations included the bad blood between the brothers. Contrary to what the royal family led us to believe, Harry wasn't even William's best man.

In an explicit account, the Duke of Sussex described an altercation between him and his older brother in 2019 centered around — you guessed it — Meghan. However, William went too far in making his point. Harry alleged that his brother grabbed him by the collar, ripped his necklace, and knocked him to the floor. Though Harry sustained injuries from his fall, he did not retaliate physically. Instead, he sternly told his brother to leave. 

Since trading the hills of England for the bustling life of America, Prince Harry has returned to England only a handful of times, but he hasn't visited his family. The hard feelings appear mutual between the royals and Harry, but what about Prince William? Despite their differences, many assumed the Prince of Wales would be the first to bridge the divide with his younger brother. However, that has not been the case. The brothers have scarcely been seen together since Harry gave up his status.

The most recent appearance of the two was at the coronation ceremony of their father, King Charles III, in May 2023, but there was still no interaction between the two. Harry was seated two rows from William and his family at Westminster Abbey, adding more speculation about Prince William and Prince Harry's relationship.

The media missed an opportunity for a snapshot at the coronation and hoped to capture the brothers together on the Buckingham Palace balcony after the ceremony. Those hopes were dashed; Harry departed shortly after the proceedings concluded. Not all sibling fights end with hugs, kisses, or apology cakes, and the discord between the brothers seems to be one of those sad tales.