A former aide for Prince William and Prince Harry has shed new light on the infamous divide between the two brothers.

Jason Knauf, who previously served as a communications secretary for William and his wife Kate Middleton, Harry and Meghan Markle,  and chief executive of the Prince and Princess of Wales Royal Foundation, gave details about the rift between Harry and William.

On Feb. 23’s 60 Minutes Australia, Knauf explained, “It’s very difficult to have this stuff play out in the public eye, but [William has] chosen to keep his thoughts on it private, and I think all of us who know him really have to respect that we should do the same. But I will say, of course, it’s been hard and sad, especially for all of us who know both of them. I worked really closely with the two of them, and we had lots of great times.”

It has been widely suspected that the reason for the brothers’ animosity towards one another stems from William’s 2016 concerns that Harry and Markle were moving too fast in their relationship. The feud between the two brothers was solidified in 2020 when Harry and Markle announced their separation from the royal family.

The brothers have only been seen together a few times since, including the death of their grandmother Queen Elizabeth, in September 2022. In August, they were also reportedly both present at the memorial service for their uncle Lord Roberts Fellows, though they were careful to avoid one another.

Knauf mused on the less “great” times with the royals, “You can’t choose just to take the fun stuff in any job. And that applies to the prince and princess as well as everyone else working for them. So I wouldn’t change anything.”

When asked whether he thought Harry’s status in the Royal family might shift once William accedes to the throne, Knauf declared, “I can’t speculate about the future. They achieved a lot together, and none of that can ever be taken away.”

Knauf left the Royals household in 2022 and went on to serve as a trustee for William’s Earthshot Prize.

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Article by Baila Eve Zisman

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