Prince Harry has revealed how his brother, Prince William, reacted when he and Meghan Markle shared the news that they were expecting their first child.
In his memoir Spare, the Duke of Sussex reflected on the moment he told his older brother the happy news during Princess Eugenie’s wedding in October 2018.
Harry wrote that he and Meghan felt the royal celebration at St George’s Chapel in Windsor was the right time to tell close family members privately.
“After the drinks reception in St George’s Hall, Meg and I pulled Willy aside,” Harry recalled. “We were in a big room, suits of armour on the walls. Strange room, strange moment.”
He continued: “We whispered the news, and Willy smiled and said, ‘We must tell Kate.’ She was across the room, talking to Pippa. I said we could do it later, but he insisted. So we went and told Kate, and she also gave a big smile and hearty congratulations. They both reacted exactly as I’d hoped.”
At the time, Kensington Palace confirmed the pregnancy, saying: “Their Royal Highnesses have appreciated all of the support they have received from people around the world since their wedding in May, and are delighted to be able to share this happy news with the public.”
The Sussexes welcomed their first child, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, in May 2019.
While Harry’s recollection offered a rare glimpse of warmth between the brothers, their relationship has since become strained. Following the Sussexes’ decision to step back from royal duties in 2020, tensions reportedly deepened after the release of their Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan and Harry’s memoir.
During a recent visit to the U.K. for the WellChild Awards, of which he is a long-time patron, Harry spoke fondly of his home country despite ongoing rifts within the family.
“I have always loved the U.K., and I always will,” he said. “It’s been good to reconnect with causes I’m passionate about and to spend time with people I’ve known for so long. It’s hard to do it from far away.”