The Duke of Sussex has reportedly claimed he was physically attacked by his brother William, the Prince of Wales, during a row over the younger prince’s marriage to Meghan Markle. In a leaked extract of his highly anticipated autobiography, Spare, to The Guardian newspaper, Prince Harry alleged the confrontation took place at his London home in 2019 and had left him with a visible injury to his back after the Prince of Wales grabbed his brother by the collar and ripped his necklace before knocking him to the floor.
Harry further claimed William had called the American actress “difficult”, “rude” and “abrasive” – comments which the younger brother said parroted “the press narrative” about his wife. According to The Guardian newspaper, the “extraordinary scene” is “one of many in Spare” which is due to be published on January 10.
The newspaper said it was able to obtain a copy of the book despite “stringent pre-launch security around the book”. Its article goes on to say that, according to Harry, his elder brother had wanted to discuss “the whole rolling catastrophe” of their relationship and struggles with the press.
But when William arrived at Nottingham Cottage – where Harry was then living – in the grounds of Kensington Palace, the Prince of Wales was already “piping hot”: “After William complained about Meghan, Harry writes, Harry told him he was repeating the press narrative and that he expected better,” The Guardian reports.
“But William, Harry says, was not being rational, leading to the two men shouting over each other. Harry then accused his brother of acting like an heir, unable to understand why his younger brother was not content to be a spare.”
Insults were then exchanged between the two men, before William claimed he was trying to help, claims which Harry found incredulous, and informed his brother of such, angering William. So much so, Harry writes, the Prince of Wales swore and stepped forwards, scaring him.
He writes: “(William) called me another name, then came at me. It all happened so fast. So very fast. He grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor. I landed on the dog’s bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me. I lay there for a moment, dazed, then got to my feet and told him to get out.”
Harry writes that William urged him to hit back but he refused. Shortly afterwards though, the elder brother apologised. William had then told his brother not to tell Meghan about the confrontation, resulting in Harry saying: “You mean that you attacked me?”, to which William responded: “I didn’t attack you, Harold.”
Harry said he did not immediately tell his wife but she had noticed “scrapes and bruises” on his back after the exchange.
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