How the brothers interact or don’t interact throughout their childhood, adolescence, and adulthood has formed the basis of thousands of news reports and fueled social media debate.
After Harry married Meghan Markle in 2018, tabloid speculation in Britain hinted that a rift had developed between the prince and his older brother. This escalated when, in January 2020, Harry announced that he would split from the monarchy and move to the United States with his family.
In the subsequent years, Harry presented the reality of his relationship with William from his perspective in interviews and documentaries, giving a colder depiction than the one the public had come to know and disputing the idea that it was somehow linked to his marriage.
A major milestone in this was Harry’s interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021 and later in his memoir, Spare.
In Spare, published in 2023, the prince wrote a damning account of his brother, claiming that he had pretended not to know Harry when they were at school together, that he resented his younger brother’s freedom as the “spare” not the “heir,” and allegedly launched a number of personal and, on one occasion, physical attacks against Harry.
William did not respond to Harry’s claims or the book in general. In an interview promoting his memoir, the prince revealed that he was not currently on speaking terms with his brother.
Since Harry’s move to the U.S. and the exposure of the rift between the brothers, any occasion where they have been in the same place at the same time has drawn considerable public interest.
Here, Newsweek examines six times William and Harry have met at important events since 2020.
Funeral of Prince Philip
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey aired in the U.S. on March 7, 2021, sending a shockwave through the monarchy.
This was still being felt a month later, on April 9, when the 99-year-old Prince Philip died at Windsor Castle.
During the strict public health measures during the COVID pandemic, only 30 of the prince’s closest family members could attend his funeral at Windsor Castle. This included Harry, who traveled from California for the first time since the interview to pay his respects to his grandfather.
Speculation about who Harry would see, speak to and stay with filled news reports around the funeral, with many focused on whether he would speak with William.
William had previously let known his displeasure at the Oprah interview by responding to a journalist’s question about racism and the royal family with: “We are very much not a racist family.”
On the day of the event, William and Harry walked in the procession behind their grandfather’s coffin separated by their cousin, Peter Phillips.
After the service at St George’s Chapel, a hint at reconciliation was shown when Princess Kate appeared to encourage the brothers to take a moment in private to speak.
Any public hopes of a mending rift were short-lived. In his memoir, Harry revealed that after the funeral, he had an argument with his brother that led King Charles (still then Prince of Wales) to implore in desperation: “Please, boys—don’t make my final years a misery.”
Princess Diana Statue Unveiling
William and Harry were publicly reunited three months later, when they came together to unveil a statue dedicated to their mother, Princess Diana, on what would have been her 60th birthday at Kensington Palace.
The brothers appeared to exchange comments as they walked to the sunken garden, where the ceremony took place. They mixed in with several of the princess’s friends and three siblings.
William and Harry shared the responsibility of unveiling the statue and the event appeared to run without issue.
Platinum Jubilee Service of Thanksgiving
The brothers would not attend another event together until June of the following year when they were brought together with their spouses to mark Queen Elizabeth II’s 70th year on the throne.
Both couples were present at a special national service of thanksgiving held at St Paul’s Cathedral, with Meghan appearing publicly in Britain for the first time since the Oprah interview.
Harry and Meghan walked through the cathedral to their seats in the royal procession. William and Kate followed them, though they were not seen interacting with each other on the steps of the venue, nor were any photographs taken of them together throughout the celebrations.
Queen Elizabeth II’s State Mourning Events
Harry and Meghan returned to Britain in September 2022 to undertake a series of charity engagements. During their stay, Queen Elizabeth II died, setting in motion national mourning and several key events attended by members of the extended royal family, including the state funeral on September 19.
Harry and Meghan extended their stay to attend the events but made a surprise appearance alongside William and Kate in a show of unity outside Windsor Castle a day after the monarch’s death to view floral tributes and meet well-wishers.
This deliberate act of unity marked the first time Meghan and Kate were photographed together since 2020 and was reportedly suggested by William. The couples arrived at the castle gates together and were driven away in one car by William.
Coronation of King Charles III
Eight months after the queen’s death, William and Harry attended the coronation of their father, King Charles III, and stepmother, Queen Camilla, at Westminster Abbey.
In the intervening months, Harry and Meghan released their six-part Netflix docuseries and the prince’s memoirs, escalating tensions with the royals.
William, the new heir to the throne and Prince of Wales, had a senior role to play. He swore a public oath of allegiance to the king.
The princes were seated apart, with Harry a row behind and several places away from his brother. They were not seen interacting during the event, and Harry returned home within hours of its completion.
Memorial for Lord Robert Fellowes
Harry and William most recently met at the memorial service for their uncle, Lord Robert Fellowes, the husband of Princess Diana’s sister, Lady Jane Spencer.
The memorial took place in the English county of Norfolk in August 2024, and reports after the fact stated that both William and Harry had been in attendance, though they were not seen speaking during the service or reception.
No milestone events are currently scheduled that the brothers would both be expected to attend.
William, as heir to the throne, has taken on more responsibility within the monarchy while also caring for Princess Kate, who was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year.
Prince Harry has launched several philanthropic and creative projects in the U.S. and enjoys time with his wife and two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, in his new capacity as a private citizen.
