The relationship between Britain’s royal brothers will be difficult to repair if their private conversations continue to be leaked to US media, a royal expert said.
On Tuesday, breakfast TV host Gayle King revealed that princes Harry and William had been in contact for the first time in months and said their conversation was not productive.
The high-profile disclosure reportedly alarmed senior members of the royal family, with some British tabloids likening it to a betrayal.
The media revelations will make it more difficult for the siblings to renew their relationship, a royal expert told The National.
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Prince William and Prince Harry join Queen Elizabeth II's funeral procession towards St George's Chapel in September 2022 in Windsor. Getty Images -
The royal brothers attend a vigil in honour of the queen at Westminster Hall, central London. Getty Images -
Prince William, his wife Catherine, Princess of Wales, Prince Harry, and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, at Westminster Hall as the queen's coffin is carried in. Getty Images -
The princes and their wives on the Long Walk at Windsor Castle, heading to meet mourners who had gathered and left tributes to Queen Elizabeth. Getty Images -
Prince William and Prince Harry unveil a statue they commissioned of their mother Princess Diana in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, in July 2021. Getty Images -
The princes at the ceremonial procession during the funeral of Prince Philip at Windsor Castle in April 2021. Getty Images -
The princes are joined by their wives for a Commonwealth Day service in March 2020 in London. Getty Images -
(L-R) Prince William, Sir David Attenborough, Prince Charles — now king — and Prince Harry attend the world premiere of Our Planet at London's Natural History Museum in April 2019. Getty Images -
The princes and their wives leave a Christmas Day service at the Church of St Mary Magdalene, Sandringham, in December 2018. Getty Images -
Prince William and Prince Harry attend the opening of the Greenhouse Sports Centre in 2018 in London. Getty Images -
Prince William and Prince Harry watch the RAF 100th anniversary flypast from the balcony of Buckingham Palace alongside the queen, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge. Getty Images -
Prince William, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and Prince Harry attend an Anzac Day service at Westminster Abbey in 2018. Getty Images -
Prince Harry with his best man, Prince William, as they wait for the start of his wedding ceremony to Meghan in 2018. Getty Images -
The princes race against each other at a London Marathon training day at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in 2017. Getty Images -
The princes try out light sabres during a tour of the Star Wars sets at Pinewood studio, London, in 2016. Getty Images -
Prince Harry, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, and Prince William raise their wands on the set used to depict Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter films. Getty Images -
The princes take part in the late queen's diamond jubilee celebrations at Buckingham Palace in 2012. Getty Images -
Prince Harry, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, and Prince William wave from the royal barge Spirit of Chartwell in 2012. Getty Images -
Prince William takes the hand of his bride Kate, followed by Prince Harry and Pippa Middleton as they walk down the aisle of Westminster Abbey in 2011. Getty Images -
The princes chat before the wedding in 2011. Getty Images -
The princes pose with David Beckham at an FA reception in Johannesburg, South Africa. Getty Images -
The princes on a visit to a classroom lit by oil lamps in Semongkong, Lesotho, in 2010. Getty Images -
The princes celebrate a try during the 2007 Rugby World Cup final between England and South Africa in 2007. Getty Images -
The princes pose for an official photograph for the wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla in 2005. Getty Images -
The princes follow the coffin of their grandmother and Princess Diana's mother, Frances Shand Kydd, in 2004. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth waves to the crowd from the balcony of Buckingham Palace as Prince Harry and Prince William look on after attending the Trooping of the Colour ceremony in 2003. Getty Images -
Prince Charles and his sons William and Harry appear at a photo call in the Swiss village of Klosters at the start of his annual skiing holiday in 2002. Getty Images -
Princes William and Harry appear with the Queen Mother during celebrations to mark her 101st birthday in 2001. Getty Images -
Prince Philip, Prince William, Earl Spencer, Prince Harry and Prince Charles follow the coffin of Princess Diana in September 1997. Getty Images -
Prince William and Prince Harry pose with Princess Diana and Prince Charles on Prince William's first day at Eton College in 1995. Getty Images -
Princess Diana with the young princes at the piano in Kensington Palace in 1985. Getty Images -
Prince Charles and Princess Diana with their sons aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia in Venice in 1985. Getty Images
"The royal family do not like providing a running commentary on their personal lives and personal relationships," said Robert Jobson, author of Prince Philip's Century.
"I really cannot see how there will be progress in building bridges and rebuilding broken relationships ... if their conversations are then broadcast to the world. That's not how the royal family works. There has to be trust and discretion."
King divulged details on American prime time TV of her conversation with Harry and his wife Meghan Markle after their interview with Oprah Winfrey.
She said on CBS This Morning: "I'm not trying to break news but I did actually call them to see how they were feeling, and it's true Harry has talked to his brother and he has talked to his father too.
“The word I was given was that those conversations were not productive but they are glad that they have at least started a conversation."
King said the couple were frustrated that alleged racism in the royal family had dominated the news agenda since the interview was broadcast on March 7.
"All they wanted all along was for the royals to intervene and tell the press to stop with the unfair, inaccurate, false stories that definitely have a racial slant," King said.
She said that Harry and Meghan wanted peace in the family, but that Meghan had "documents to back up everything", she told Winfrey.
Omid Scobie, a journalist with close links to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, said the leak was no different to briefings given by royals to members of the media.
He said on Twitter: "Bit confused here, so just want to get this new royal protocol correct. It's OKwhen info is leaked to the papers via a palace source but not when Gayle King shares it on TV?"
The racism allegations, which the royal family said would be investigated, plunged the monarchy into its biggest crisis since the death un 1997 of William and Harry's mother, Princess Diana.
On Tuesday, Prince Charles, 72, visited a mosque in London but made no comment about the furore.
He said he was thrilled that his father, Prince Philip, was back at his Windsor Castle home after a month-long stay in hospital.
"Very good news, I'm thrilled about it. I've spoken to him – several times," he said.
Philip, 99, husband of Queen Elizabeth II, left a London hospital on Tuesday after being treated for an infection and undergoing heart surgery.
Buckingham Palace issued a statement in which the duke thanked the medical staff and all those who had sent their good wishes. A royal source said he was in good spirits.
