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Daily Record
Daily Record
Lifestyle
Lucy Farrell

Prince Harry and William feud could be fuelled by 'sibling rivalry' due to birth order

Depending on what side you lie on, many siblings will be able to relate to the familial spat between Princes Harry and William.

Since the publication of his memoir Spare, Harry has made several allegations of poor treatment from members of the royal family, among them older brother William.

It's natural for siblings to fight, but this is seen more in a younger age. Tensions can often arise due to a number of factors, whether it be down to opinions, personalities or where you come in the family line.

The division between Harry and William may be down to opposing outlooks in adulthood, but could their differences also be put down to sibling rivalry?

Weight loss guru Micheal Mosley spoke to an expert to learn how the position of birth can affect these relationships. According to psychotherapist Toby Ingham, it is our parents' behaviour that can fuel sibling rivalry.

As reported in the Daily Mail, Ingham said: "Parents are different by the time they have a second or third child. They have learnt more about how to look after and manage their children."

The more children parents have, the more equipped they become to deal with their little ones, according to Mosley. With more experience behind them, caregivers relax as they are familiar with the ups and downs of raising a family.

William and Harry standing side-by-side at their mother Diana's funeral in 1997 (Adam Butler/PA Wire)

The firstborn may feel like they have been treated the hardest, as their mother and father get the swing of parenting and set boundaries and rules. But Ingham said that older children can feel excluded when a new sibling is born.

"An older sibling may feel that they have been pushed aside too quickly when a new baby arrives," he added. "Ideally, parents should recognise this and help their children get to know each other and minimise jealousy - the whole family must adapt."

There are still questions as to whether birthing order has a role on personality development. There are general perceptions of how people behave based on whether they are the oldest, middle or baby in the family.

The cover of Prince Harry's new memoir Spare (Penguin)

Older siblings may be considered to be more conservative, while the second born are said to be more open-minded. Regarding lastborns, they are believed to be more mischievous than their older counterparts.

But scientists say that there is little evidence that links birthing order with personality and any impact seen is incidental. A 2015 study from the University of Illinois which examined over 300,000 school students found that firstborns do tend to be "more extroverted, agreeable and conscientious".

However, these attributes were seen in such a small amount that it makes little difference to their overall personality.

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