Prince William is "burning" with anger at the revelations made in Prince Harry's book - but would "never retaliate", according to a close pal of the future king.
They described William as a "sitting duck" amid a raft of claims aimed in the last week from Spare, including of their brawl in a kitchen over Meghan Markle in 2019 which left Harry with an injury to his back.
His relationship with Harry is a mainstay of the tell-all memoir, in which Harry also described his brother as his "arch-nemesis" - and beloved brother.
Despite the myriad of accusations, the Royal Family has so far refused to comment.
Now a close friend of William's has spoken out about the ongoing feud.
He told The Times: "He won’t retaliate, he never would, because he’s dignified and unbelievably loyal. William is a sitting duck because Harry knows he isn’t going to retaliate. How many shots can you take at a sitting duck?
“It’s cruel, cowardly and so sad for William to keep taking the punches. He’s keeping quiet for the good of his family and the country.
"He’s handling it so well on the outside — inside he’s burning.”
In a teaser for the interview with Good Morning America, set to be broadcast on Monday, Harry, 38, discussed his fractured relationship with his sibling.
In a teaser, a presenter is heard telling Harry: "There's a quote in the book where you refer to your brother as your 'beloved brother and arch nemesis'. Strong words".
Although Harry's response was not shown, he is seen waving his hands in an expression of emotion and nodding with a grave expression on his face.
Harry also claimed William had called the American actress "difficult", "rude" and "abrasive" - comments which the younger brother said parroted "the press narrative" about his wife.
It comes as broadcaster broadcaster Jonathan Dimbleby told BBC Radio 4's Today programme he imagines the King is "extremely pained” by the ongoing onslaught aimed at the Royal Family.
The 78-year-old said: “[Harry] is clearly a very troubled man.
"Yes, there are obviously revelations about how he lost his virginity, taking drugs and how many people he feels he might have shot down in Afghanistan from his Apache, but those are the kinds of revelations in part that you would expect, I suppose, from a kind of B-list celebrity.
"Much more significant are not what you would call revelations but allegations - complaints, the anger and pain of what he is saying.
"His assertion that this is his side because so far there has only been one side. It seems to me that I have not heard the other side at all because the other side is always silent."
Another revelation from the book made by Harry was that King Charles joked on the day of his birth he was overjoyed at having an “heir and a spare”.
The book's title is a a knowing jib at the term, referring to the succession of power after the death of the monarch.
Harry revealed the term has been in his life from the very moment he was born.
He wrote how the now King told his mother Princess Diana on the day of his birth: “Wonderful! Now you’ve given me an heir and a spare.
