Prince William and Kate 'incredibly hurt' by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's royal stepdown
Prince William and Duchess Kate are still trying to accept Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan‘s controversial decision to take a “step back” from their royal duties. Speaking to Us Weekly, a source said 37-year-old William is distraught and frustrated by his younger brother's decision to redefine roles within the royal family.
“William’s done everything in his power to help his brother over the years and feels totally let down by his ‘reckless’ and ‘selfish’ actions,” the insider says. “The way he sees it, Harry’s thrown all the good advice he gave him back in his face.”
According to the source, 38-year-old Kate is also perturbed by the Sussexes' shocking announcement. “When Harry was feeling low or had problems, William was always there for him, as was Kate,” the insider told the outlet. “Kate’s incredibly hurt too. She acted as a mentor to Harry before Meghan came into the picture and hates seeing her husband so upset.”
It is being reported that the Queen is "urging" the brothers "to put on a united front" despite allegedly being "furious" herself. “But right now, William and Harry refuse to make amends — they’re both being stubborn, especially Harry,” the source added.
On January 8, Harry and Meghan sent shockwaves across the western world when they announced they would be stepping down from their senior royal roles in order to become "financially independent" and "balance their time" between Britain and North America.
“After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution,” their joint statement read. “We intend to step back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen. It is with your encouragement, particularly over the last few years, that we feel prepared to make this adjustment.”
According to the couple, their part-time relocation to North America would help their 8-month-old son, Archie, develop “an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born, while also providing our family with the space to focus on the next chapter, including the launch of our new charitable entity.”
In response to the news, Buckingham Palace released a statement explaining the royal family was still in the "early stages" of discussion. “We understand their desire to take a different approach, but these are complicated issues that will take time to work through,” the palace said. The Queen subsequently called for an emergency meeting with Harry, William and their father, Prince Charles, on Monday, January 13, at the Sandringham estate in Norfolk, England.
