Topline
An argument between Prince Harry and his older brother William in 2019 escalated into a physical confrontation that led to Harry being “knocked” to the floor, the Duke of Sussex alleged in his upcoming autobiography, the Guardian reported, citing an excerpt from the book which promises more bombshell revelations about the British Royal Family.
FILE – Britain’s Prince William and Prince Harry arrive for the statue unveiling on what would have … [+]
Key Facts
According to Harry’s upcoming autobiography, Spare, the incident took place at his residence in Kensington Palace, London, in 2019 after his older brother called his wife Meghan “difficult”, “rude” and “abrasive,” the Guardian reported.
Harry says William’s remarks about his wife parroted the narrative of the British press—something he has previously referred to as “toxic” and false.
The argument between the two brothers then escalated into a physical confrontation during which William allegedly grabbed Harry by the collar, ripped his necklace, and “knocked me to the floor.”
The incident allegedly left Harry with a visible injury on his back.
Harry says he did not immediately tell his wife about the altercation but eventually told her about it after she saw the “scrapes and bruises” on his back.
While Harry has previously talked about being “screamed at” by his brother, this is the first instance he has accused William of physically attacking him.
Crucial Quote
After finding out about the alleged attack, Meghan wasn’t “that surprised, and wasn’t all that angry. She was terribly sad,” Harry is reported to have said in his book. The Royal family is yet to comment on Harry’s latest allegations.
Key Background
Spare is set to release next week and it is expected to contain more major revelations about the royal family and the treatment meted out to Harry’s wife Meghan. The name of the book is a reference to the fact that Charles III’s older son William is the anointed heir to the British throne, making the younger son Harry a “spare” as per old an idiom. The most recent peek into the secretive lives of the British royal family came from the Sussexes Netflix documentary Harry and Meghan. In the documentary, Harry talks about feeling anguished by the British press’ negative portrayal of his wife and Buckingham Palace’s failure to protect her. In the six-part documentary, Harry talked about how the initial popularity of Meghan led to fears about the younger couple stealing the limelight from senior royals. One of the most bombastic claims of the documentary series was made by the couple’s lawyer Jenny Afia who worked with them on Meghan’s lawsuit against the Daily Mail. Afia claimed the “war against Meghan” was being directed by other royals and said she had seen evidence that “negative briefing” about Harry and Meghan would come from the palace to “suit other people’s agendas.”
Tangent
In a recently released promo of an unaired ITV interview, Harry says he would like to get his father and brother back but claims they have “shown absolutely no willingness to reconcile.” In another clip of the interview, Harry says his decision to open up is a response to negative stories about him and his wife in the British press that he alleged were being planted by Buckingham Palace. Harry reiterates these claims in a segment from a separate unreleased interview with Anderson Cooper for CBS’ 60 Minutes stating every single time he has tried to walk away quietly there have been briefings and leaks from the palace targetting him and his wife.
Further Reading
Prince Harry details physical attack by brother William in new book (The Guardian)
Here’s What We Learned From Harry And Meghan’s Netflix Documentary (Forbes)
Everything We Learned From Part Two Of Harry And Meghan’s Netflix Documentary (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2023/01/05/knocked-me-to-the-floor-prince-harry-accuses-william-of-physically-attacking-him-over-meghan-in-new-book/