A controversial book claims that Prince Harry sent a “coded message” to Prince William, subtly accusing his older brother of marrying Kate Middleton to keep up appearances.

And now, the story is recirculating, as people are keen to show just how committed William is to Kate in her time of need.

As the world well knows, Kate Middleton has been battling cancer since January 2024. She has not made any public appearances since, and reportedly may never fully return to royal life in the same way ever again.

Prince William since then has not only been caring for his wife and children, but also taking up the mantle for his father at royal events.

Does this sounds like a man who didn’t marry for love? Depends on who you ask, apparently.

The Accusations Against Prince Harry

Robert Hardman, author of The Making of a King: King Charles III and the Modern Monarchy, alleges that the subtle allegation can be found in Harry and Meghan’s 2022 Netflix series.

According to Hardman, when Harry spoke about his marriage to Meghan Markle in the show’s first episode, he did so with the intention of shaming William.

“Harry talks about marrying someone for love, not because it’s the sort of person you ought to,” Hardman told Page Six in an interview when the book released.

“I think that’s a lot more wounding. I mean that’s effectively dissing your brother and his choice of wife in a very public way.”

“For so many people in the family, especially obviously the men, there can be a temptation or urge to marry someone who fits in the mold, as opposed to somebody who you are perhaps destined to be with,” Harry said in the series.

He went on to claim that his mother, Princess Diana, would be appalled by the former approach to choosing a spouse.

“The difference between making decisions with your head, or your heart,” Harry said.

“And my mum [Diana] made most of her decisions, if not all of them, from her heart. And I am my mother’s son.”

Did Prince Harry Accuse Prince William of Marrying Kate Middleton For Sake of Appearances?

Obviously, Harry didn’t make any explicit claims about William and Kate’s marriage, but according to Hardman, the message was loud and clear.

Passive aggression is apparently a second language to the royals, especially when they’re addressing one another through the media.

Hardman says William was likely aghast at Harry’s comments, not only because of the insulting claim about his marriage but also because he’s fiercely protective of his privacy.

“Both these brothers, they’ve guarded their privacy,” Hardman explained.

“It’s been really important to them. And William is a really private person. He doesn’t do nearly as many interviews as his father did at this age and family life is absolutely off-limits for media,” the journalist continued.

“Privacy is really important and Harry’s just gone and chucked all these stories about their childhood into the public domain.”

What’s Next For William and Harry?

These days, William and Harry are not on speaking terms, and there’s been no indication that either brother is interested in resolving the tension.

For one thing William’s attention is certainly elsewhere, as his wife and his father are both battling cancer. Prince William has since had to step in for King Charles at royal events while juggling being there for Kate and the kids.

Meanwhile, Prince Harry reportedly reached out to his sister-in-law, but has not seen her, nor has he seen the rest of his family, despite visits to London.

Now feels like the time to patch up old wounds, but we won’t hold our breath.

Prince Harry Accused Prince William of Marrying Kate Middleton For the Wrong Reasons was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.