Prince William's Friend Dismisses Prince Harry As A 'Broken Record' Over Demand For An Apology

Prince Harry remains open to taking on a temporary royal role, but he reportedly seeks an apology from his brother, Prince William, as their strained relationship shows no signs of improvement.

William, however, has allegedly dismissed the idea, expressing no desire for Harry's involvement in future royal events, including his coronation.

Prince Harry and William, who have been estranged for years, recently avoided interaction at their uncle's funeral, further proving how broken their relationship has become.

A recent report by TheMirror claimed that Harry would be "open to taking on a temporary role within the family to 'help out' if asked" by his father.

However, Harry's willingness to assist reportedly comes with the condition that William apologizes, as their strained relationship shows no signs of improving,

While speaking to the Daily Beast, a source close to William dismissed the idea: "Harry is a broken record at this stage. We all know he would love to be given a part-time royal role, but Queen Elizabeth was very clear that he couldn't be half in and half out. Nothing has changed."

The insider continued, "Whoever is promulgating these ludicrous theories on Harry's behalf is simply pretending to not get the message that he is not wanted. They are either very thick or pretending to be."

William and Harry had a brief encounter last month when they both attended the funeral of their uncle, Lord Robert Fellowes, in Snettisham, Norfolk.

The long-estranged brothers reportedly arrived "quietly" and maintained their distance throughout the service, avoiding interaction.

Their last public appearance together before the funeral was in September 2022, during the events surrounding Queen Elizabeth II's passing.

Meanwhile, William reportedly has no desire for Harry to be present at his future coronation, viewing him as "disloyal."

According to a Sunday Times article, the Prince of Wales has expressed that he wants his crowning, which will take place after the death of King Charles III, to "look and feel different," possibly including Harry's absence.

William's friends have stated that, as things stand, he does not want Harry at the ceremony, noting: "They are estranged, which is dreadfully sad."

One of Charles' friends commented on the situation: "The problem for the king and other members of the family is the worry that if they have a chat with Harry, it will appear in 'Spare' Volume 2. How do you regain the trust? I don't think Harry ever can."

The friend continued: "But from the conversations I've had with the king, I would never say their relationship is irreparable. The king's capacity to forgive his son is undimmed. There are other members of the royal family who are much more weighted against Harry, that's the problem."

After stepping down as a working royal and relocating to California in 2020, Harry publicly exposed family tensions through high-profile platforms, including the 2021 Oprah Winfrey interview, the "Harry & Meghan" Netflix docuseries, and his memoir, "Spare."

In "Spare," Harry made explosive claims that intensified rumors of a rift. He revealed his deep estrangement from his brother, William, alleging jealousy over his success with the Invictus Games and even recounting a physical altercation with Meghan.

A former aide to Harry suggested that since leaving the UK and distancing himself from his family, the California-based royal seems to lack a clear "purpose" in life.

"He loved the army and was very good at his job. The work with Invictus is great and fatherhood was the role he most wanted, so perhaps those are enough for him," the aide noted. "But everything else is a bit woolly [unclear or confused]. I always thought he wanted more from life. I can't help but think he must be wondering, 'Where do I go from here?'"

Last month, Harry opened up about his strained relationship with his family, attributing their fallout to their reluctance to challenge the press.

In an interview with ITV's Rebecca Barry, part of a new hour-long documentary, Harry remarked, "I think that's certainly a central piece to it. But that's a hard question to answer because anything I say about my family results in a torrent of abuse from the press."

The documentary focuses on the 2011 phone-hacking scandal and the multiple lawsuits Harry has brought against publishers in recent years.

The Duke of Sussex emphasized his commitment to fighting these battles, stating, "I've made it very clear that this is something that needs to be done, and it would be nice if we did it as a family. I believe that from a service standpoint and when you're in a public role, these are the things that we should be doing for the greater good. I'm doing this for my reasons."

He also expressed disappointment over his family's inaction, saying, "I think everything that's played out has shown people what the truth of the matter is. For me, the mission continues, but yes, it's caused part of a rift."

In his interview for ITV's documentary "Tabloids on Trial," which premiered on July 25, Harry voiced his concerns about his family's safety and expressed his apprehensions about returning to the UK with Meghan.

"It's still dangerous," Harry stated, per People Magazine, emphasizing that "all it takes is one lone actor, one person who reads this stuff to act on what they have read."

He continued: "Whether it's a knife or acid, whatever it is, these are things that are of genuine concern for me. It's one of the reasons why I won't bring my wife back to this country."