Growing up in the most famous family in the UK meant that both Prince William and Prince Harry faced a problem most people never have to consider: how do you know whom to trust when your entire life is public? The social worlds of William and Harry were once closely connected, with many of their friendships overlapping as they grew up and navigated life within the royal spotlight.
Testing Friendships with Fake Stories
They both reportedly used to "plant fake stories" about themselves among their friends to test who would betray them to the press. Anyone found disloyal was swiftly and permanently cut out, it has been claimed.
In the latest episode of the Catching Up With the Royals podcast hosted by Reverend Richard Coles and royal correspondent Emily Andrews, the subject was discussed. Emily Andrews claimed: "I remember in the past, Harry and William feeding erroneous stories out and keeping track of what they told to whom. So they could track what ended up in the press, and they’d cut those friends out."
She added: "Anyone who they deemed to be disloyal would be absolutely eviscerated and cut from the social circle."
Loyalty as a Currency
People connected to William’s circle have often included long-time school and aristocratic friends such as Thomas van Straubenzee and James Meade. Emily Andrews said loyalty is one of the most valuable currencies for being part of the royal inner circle. She shared that she has acquaintances who are close friends with the royals, and they refuse to even mention their names in casual conversation "just in case."
Navigating friendships in the limelight can be especially challenging for high-profile figures, where trust and privacy are constantly tested. Harry and William are not the only high-profile figures to have allegedly 'tested' their friends. For example, Kim Kardashian previously spoke about trying to identify leaks within her circle, saying she once shared different false photos of her newborn daughter with different people to see which of them would sell them to the tabloids.
