The British Royal Family has made headlines frequently in recent years, with a sum of that being attributable to reports of strife within their ranks. In particular, much has been said about the relationship between brothers Prince William and Prince Harry. Based on what’s been reported, the turning point for the two siblings was when Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, announced plans to take a step back from their duties as senior members of the family. Now, a former aide is addressing the feud assumptions.
Jason Knauf served as an aide and communications secretary for both princes and their wives, before stepping down from his position in 2021. While working for the royals, he became particularly close with William and his wife, Catherine, Princess of Wales. Knauf opened up about his experiences during an interview conducted by 60 Minutes Australia (which is on YouTube). When discussing the alleged rift between Harry and William, Knauf spoke acknowledged family conflicts generally while explaining why he wouldn’t say much:
We have ups and downs in family. Even when you really love someone, you can have times when you don’t want to spend that much time with them. It's very difficult to have this stuff play out in the public eye, but [William]'s chosen to keep his thoughts on it private, and I think all of us who know him really have to respect that we should do the same. But I will say, of course, it’s been hard and sad, especially for all of us who know both of them.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, announced their plans to step back from their roles as working royals in 2020. At that time, the decision was met with a myriad of responses. Since then, Harry and Meghan have opened up about their choice in multiple settings, with one being their 2021 bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey. During that chat, the couple made claims of second-hand comments regarding the skin tone of their then-unborn son Archie and claimed they were cut off from the Royal Family financially. Harry also discussed his relationship with his family in his memoir, Spare, while he and Markle made more accusations in their Netflix docuseries, Harry & Meghan.
Following the Oprah interview, the royals responded via a statement shared by a spokesperson. It was said that the family was “saddened to learn the extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan.” Per the statement, the race-related accusations were “taken very seriously” and would be “addressed by the family in private.”
Jason Knauf found himself wrapped up in the alleged feud back in 2018. At that point, Knauf submitted a complaint regarding Markle allegedly bullying junior staff members. The Duchess’ legal team ultimately denied the claims. Knauf’s email with those concerns leaked in 2021 shortly before the Oprah interview, and he received media attention as a result. He also provided evidence in a privacy case between Markle and a British news outlet.
In the years since, royal insiders have asserted that both Princes William and Harry have been exchanged, with the latter also not maintaining contact with their father, King Charles. Harry did attend his father’s coronation ceremony, though he apparently didn’t stay too long for pleasantries with his relatives, and he also returned home after his father’s cancer diagnosis.
Whether or not the two princes might eventually mend their relationship remains to be seen. It has been reported, though, that Prince Harry and King Charles are willing to let bygones be bygones. Harry himself even acknowledged a reconciliation, saying that he’d like to have both his father and brother back in his life. As for Jason Knauf, he seems intent on respecting William’s wishes to keep the specifics of his current relationship with Harry private.
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