Prince William and Prince Harry have had their fair share of ups and downs through the years, but it hasn’t always been as tense between the brothers as it is in 2021.
William and Harry came together when they were 15 and 12, respectively, after the death of their mother, Princess Diana. The younger prince previously credited his big brother for helping him through the difficult time in their lives.
“I have probably been very close to a complete breakdown on numerous occasions.… The experience I have had is that once you start talking about it, you realize that actually you’re part of quite a big club,” Harry told The Telegraph in 2017. “My brother, you know, bless him, he was a huge support to me. He kept saying, ‘This is not right, this is not normal, you need to talk to [someone] about stuff, it’s OK.’”
The following year, William noted during a 2018 engagement, “Losing our mother at a young age has kind of helped us sort of travel through that difficult patch together. When you’re like-minded, you go through similar things. It’s a bond and it’s something that, you know, you’ve tackled it together and come out the other side better for it.”
Over the years, the brothers put on a united front, serving as each other’s best men in their respective weddings and forming a joint charity with spouses Duchess Kate and Meghan Markle. By October 2019, however, Harry confirmed that the siblings were on “different paths” after he and Meghan split their charity from William and Kate.
In early 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex opted to stop working for Queen Elizabeth II and relocated to California. After not traveling to London for more than one year amid the coronavirus pandemic, Harry and Meghan made headlines for a bombshell CBS interview about the family, including his status with William.
“As I said before, I love William to bits. We’ve been through hell together and we have a shared experience, but we are on different paths,” he said in March 2021. “The relationship is space at the moment and time heals all things, hopefully.”
After a brief reunion at Prince Philip’s funeral in April 2021, the brothers will see each other at the unveiling of a statue for Diana in July 2021. Scroll down to relive some of Prince William and Prince Harry’s sweetest moments together:
Prince Charles played with his sons at Kensington Palace in 1985. A young Harry sat on top of his smiling older brother’s shoulders. Tim Graham/Getty Images
The brothers wore matching outfits as William held Harry's hand as the younger prince took his first steps in October 1985. Tim Graham/Getty Images
A young William and Harry sat together on the steps at Highgrove House while looking adorable in matching army uniforms. Tim Graham/Getty Images
Prince Harry and Prince William enjoyed the outdoors with their mother, Princess Diana, in the United Kingdom in July 1986. Tim Graham/Getty Images
Princess Diana was with her two sons at the airport as they headed to a vacation in August 1986. The boys were dressed in matching outfits of yellow shorts and a long sleeve white top paired with white socks and black shoes. Jayne Fincher/Getty Images
Prince Harry and Prince William posed on top of a police motorbike during a visit to the police force in Windsor in November 1987. Anwar Hussein/Getty Images
Prince Harry and Prince Harry looked adorable as they played on a firetruck next to Princess Diana in Sandringham in January 1988. Anwar Hussein/Getty Images
The Princess of Wales enjoyed a vacation in Lech, Austria, with her two sons in April 1991. The trio wore colorful ski gear on as they sat in a ski lift together. Tim Graham/Getty Images
Prince William was by his little brother’s side on Harry's first day at Wetherby School in London in September 1989. The pair headed to school together in their matching uniforms as Harry looked up at his big brother. Julian Parker/UK Press via Getty Images
The brothers were all smiles and soaked from a ride during a trip to The Thorpe Park Amusement Park in England with their mom in April 1993. Julian Parker/UK Press via Getty Images
Harry and William posed for photos alongside their dad at Balmoral in Scotland in August 1997. Julian Parker/UK Press via Getty Images
The brothers dressed up in suits and ties during a Thanksgiving service at St. Paul’s Cathedral in July 2000. Tim Graham/Getty Images
In July 2002, Prince William and Prince Harry helped raise money for Inspire, which is a charity for people with spinal cord injuries, as part of The British Forces Polo Team. Tim Graham/Getty Images
Prince William shared a laugh with his brother as they arrived for a prayer service for the wedding of Prince Charles to The Duchess of Cornwall Camila Parker Bowles in April 2005. Corbis via Getty Images
The brothers threw their hands in the air at The Concert for Diana to honor their late mother in London in July 2007. Rune Hellestad/Corbis via Getty Images
Prince Harry was right alongside his brother on the elder prince's big day when he married Duchess Kate in April 2011. Harry served as William’s best man. Brooks Kraft LLC/Corbis via Getty Images
The brothers shook hands after competing against each other at a polo match in June 2011. Indigo/Getty Images
Harry and William chatted with each other while Duchess Kate stood between them at a Thanksgiving service at St. Paul’s Cathedral in June 2012. Oli Scarff/Getty Images
The trio shared a laugh together when they attended the opening of Warner Bros. Studios in Leavesden in April 2013. Chris Jackson - WPA Pool/Getty Images
Prince William, Duchess Kate and Prince Harry spearheaded a new campaign called Heads Together to end the stigma around mental health in London in April 2016. Nicky J Sims/Getty Images
The duo had a playful lightsaber battle during their tour of the Star Wars set at Pinewood studios in April 2016. Adrian Dennis-WPA Pool/Getty Images
The royals looked dapper together when they attended Pippa Middleton’s wedding to James Matthews in May 2017. Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images
The princes walked the red carpet together wearing tuxedos for the European premiere for Star Wars: The Last Jedi in December 2017. Samir Hussein/WireImage.com
Prince William and Prince Harry walked together to St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle on May 19, 2018, ahead of Harry’s marriage to Meghan. William, 35, served as his brother’s best man at the wedding. In April 2011, Harry took on the same role when William married Duchess Kate at Westminster Abbey in London. INSTARimages.com
The brothers came together in July 2021 for the unveiling of Diana's statue on what would have been her 60th birthday. The pair were spotted chatting and smiling before revealing the piece, which had been in the work since 2019. Shutterstock
Amid years of tension after Harry stepped down from royal duties in 2020, the men came together to greet mourners in Windsor, England, after the queen died in September 2022. James Whatling/MEGA
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