The row that left Harry and Wills 'barely on speaking terms'

While Meghan Markle is being blamed for the reported rift between Prince Harry and Prince William, it seems this isn’t the first time the royal brothers have clashed.

The princes, who have been in the spotlight since the moment they were born, reportedly went through a period where they barely spoke after a serious disagreement when they were younger.

Royal biographer, Katie Nicholl, wrote in her 2010 book William and Harry, that the drama between the pair went down in 2002.

A then 17-year-old Prince Harry is said to have gone out with his mates to a pub in Highgrove, near Kensington Palace, where he was caught smoking marijuana and drinking alcohol.

Palace aides were reportedly furious with the underage prince, who ‘escaped with an official police warning but the incident sent shockwaves through the royal family’, according to Nicholl.

“It was the catalyst for the first serious rift between William and Harry, who resented the fact that he had been blamed for everything while William got away scot-free,” she wrote.

Prince William is believed to have been no angel when he was younger, hosting parties in the basement of the palace and attending wild bashes while he was away at university.

However, Prince Harry believed his older brother got away with everything and according to Nicholl ‘the princes were barely on speaking terms’ after Harry was caught at Highgrove.

A then 19-year-old Prince William tried ‘to smooth the situation over’ and is said to have felt guilty his brother got in trouble for his actions.

“For the first time their relationship really suffered and they barely spoke,” Nicholl wrote.

“In the end he forgave William because it wasn’t really William’s fault, but it took some time. Harry was reeling for a while.”

And now, 17 years later, it’s being claimed that the princes are at war once again.

This time, Prince Harry’s relationship with his former American actress wife is said to be the reason behind the row.

According to The Sun, Prince Harry has accused his brother of trying to ‘wreck his relationship’ with Meghan Markle after Wills reportedly voiced concerns about the star when the couple first started dating.

“It’s my opinion that Harry feels he couldn’t protect his mother, so he’s going all out to protect his wife. This is his way of atoning,” a source told the publication.

“He will brook absolutely no criticism of Meghan – and he is so sensitive he often sees criticism or negativity where there isn’t any.”

And it’s even reported that the brother’s have been competing over palace appointments, with William unhappy about the fact Harry received the role of youth ambassador for the Commonwealth.

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