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Who is Tom Bradby? Reporter no longer Prince William's 'trusted friend' for siding with Meghan Markle and Harry

“The friendship between William and Tom is very much over. The Duke feels let down by Bradby and the way he's acted over the past few months,” a source said
PUBLISHED APR 8, 2021
Tom Bradby and Prince William were once very close friends (Getty Images)
Tom Bradby and Prince William were once very close friends (Getty Images)

Prince William and Tom Bradby were once very close to each other. But now it has been said that the friendship no longer exists as the dogged ITV newsman has angered the Duke of Cambridge by taking sides and being sympathetic to Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, senior royal insiders told The Daily Mail.

As per reports, Bradby is constantly in touch with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex while William, who once trusted the high profile presenter, no longer thinks of him as his close confidante. “The friendship between William and Tom is very much over. The Duke feels let down by Bradby and the way he's acted over the past few months. William is a sensitive soul and believes it's in times of crisis when you find out who your true friends are. It would be fair to say Bradby hasn't been one of them,” a royal source said.

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It has been said that several royal aides are angry with Bradby as well as ITV News since they now appear to become a mouthpiece for Meghan Markle and Harry. The journalist, 54, was the one who hosted the 2019 ITV documentary featuring the Sussexes in South Africa, in which the former actress took a swipe at the royal family.

In the interview, Meghan had said, “Not many people have asked if I'm okay. It's a very real thing to go through behind the scenes... it has really been a struggle.” At the time, Harry also confirmed his feud with his elder brother and said he and William were “on different paths at the moment”.

Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex at London Stadium on June 29, 2019 in London, England (Getty Images)

About the documentary, Bradby later told ‘Good Morning America’ that he changed his approach towards the couple after finding out they were “a bit bruised and vulnerable”. He added: “The reality I found was just a couple that seemed a bit bruised and vulnerable – with mental health and all the rest of it you have to be careful what words you use – that was the story I found and it seemed the right journalistic thing to do, to try and tell that story as empathetically as I could."

He added: "We had a couple of private heart-to-hearts before we did the interview and I said ‘let’s just go out and tell the truth as you see it'. The thing about Harry is, whether in private or in public, if you ask him an honest question he’ll give you an honest answer, for better or worse.”

Tom Bradby attends the Sentebale Summer Party at the Dorchester Hotel on May 7, 2014 in London, England (Getty Images)

Besides, regarding Oprah Winfrey’s last month’s explosive interview with Meghan and Harry, where the pair made shocking claims against the Palace, reports have said Bradby played a major role in getting the rights to air the tell-all on ITV. The insider stated, “Some staff at the palace are even angrier about Bradby and the tone of his reporting at ITV News, which they consider to be pro-Harry and Meghan.

It's well-known Bradby personally communicates with Harry on a regular basis and that is pretty obvious to royal aides who know how things work. But it's been very difficult to accept given the long history between Bradby and William.” 

Another insider added: “The Duke will, of course, remain cordial and professional in his relations with senior media figures, but that special relationship he once had with Bradby is no more. William no longer sees him as a friend.” The ITV News’ spokesperson remarked, “Unfortunately at this moment we won't be in a position to comment,” when asked about the current status of Bradby's friendship with William.

There was a time when Bradby and William were so close that he was selected to take the exclusive engagement announcement interview in November 2010 with the Cambridges. He also witnessed the wedding ceremony of the pair. An insider at the time said, “The couple asked to record this interview specifically with Mr Bradby, whom they have both known for some time.”

Tom Bradby, political editor for ITV News arrives to attend the royal wedding of Prince William to Catherine Middleton at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011 in London, England (Getty Images)

Meanwhile, some reports have even suggested that Bradby may have played a role in suggesting Meghan “the right direction” to take over how to complain about Piers Morgan after his not-so-pleasant remarks about her. “Tom Bradby has a certain caché at ITV as their newsman. He is also the man with the golden goose in the bosses' eyes as he has a hotline to Prince Harry,” a source stated.

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