Prince William’s conflict with Harry is the hardest thing he has gone through since Princess Diana’s death, says royal expert

Prince William's relationship with his brother has been described as 'one of space' by Prince Harry – and it looks like the future king of England is now struggling to cope with the distance. 

• Prince William's strained relationship with Prince Harry is taking a toll on the future king, according to a royal expert.
• The fallout is the 'hardest thing' William has endured since losing his mother, Princess Diana.
• In other royal news, Kate Middleton's visit to Sarah Everard vigil was legal, confirms Dame Cressida Dick.
  

The tension between the royal siblings has escalated since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey last month, with subsequent attempts to reconcile proving 'unproductive.' The CBS special unearthed a number of deep-rooted issues within the Royal Family, including allegations of racism. 

A royal expert has now revealed that the Duke of Cambridge feels like he has 'lost his brother and his best friend' in the wake of their highly-publicized fallout. 

"There's no doubt this is one of the hardest things that William has gone through, the hardest since his mother died," Duncan Larcombe told OK! magazine. 

Prince William's relationship with his younger brother has been unstable for over a year now. Harry shocked the Royal Family in January 2020, when he and Meghan announced their withdrawal as senior members of the so-called 'Firm.' 

The couple had hoped to continue their royal service from their new home in the United States, but this proposal was not accepted by the Queen. They were subsequently stripped of their royal patronages, as well as their security team. 

William and Harry had reportedly been on the path to making amends when the Oprah special aired. However, any chance of recovering their bond was shattered by the shocking allegations made by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in the interview. 

Harry and Meghan prompted Oprah to gasp in horror when they claimed that there had been comments made about Archie's skin color by members of the Firm. Other shocking revelations included an allegation that Kate made Meghan cry before her wedding and that Meghan suffered from suicidal thoughts during her first pregnancy. 

William responded to the most damning allegation in the interview on a visit to a school in London, telling a reporter, "We are very much not a racist family." He also revealed that he hadn't spoken to his brother yet, but had plans to reach out. 

The turmoil has brought the duke closer to Kate, who has reportedly been a major support to her husband during this difficult time. 

"Both Kate and William have felt betrayed but they have leaned on each other and come through stronger than before. Kate is not just the obedient wife who sits and listens to William," said Duncan. 

"She’s so much more than that and she’s hurt too. But she will suffer behind closed doors with William and the pair will discuss things together.”