Prince William has refuted claims that he was 'deeply unhappy' about Prince Harry publicly acknowledging his relationship with Meghan Markle, according to a statement released by Kensington Palace in 2016. The statement came after Harry issued a plea for respect towards Meghan's private life amid a wave of abuse and harassment.
The palace statement read: 'The Duke of Cambridge absolutely understands the situation concerning privacy and supports the need for Prince Harry to support those closest to him.' It highlighted the 'smear on the front page of a national newspaper; the racial undertones of comment pieces; and the outright sexism and racism of social media trolls and web article comments.'
The rift between the brothers has been widely reported, with Harry admitting in his memoir 'Spare' that they were 'on different paths.' The couple stepped down from senior royal duties in 2020 and now live in the US with their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
Prince Harry is currently on a solo trip to New York during the UN General Assembly High-level Week and Climate Week, where he will advance his patronages and philanthropic initiatives, including work with The Archewell Foundation.
