Prince Harry’s Relationship With Prince William’s 3 Kids Through the Years: I ‘Wanted a Family’

Credit: Tim Rooke/Shutterstock; James Whatling/MEGA

Prince Harry’s Relationship With Prince William’s 3 Kids Through the Years: I ‘Wanted a Family'

The “fun” one! Prince Harry first became an uncle in July 2013 when brother Prince William and his wife, Princess Kate, welcomed their eldest son, Prince George.

“Willy and Kate had welcomed their first child, George, and he was beautiful,” the Duke of Sussex recalled of his brother’s firstborn in his Spare memoir, which was published in January 2023. “I couldn’t wait to teach him about rugby and [The Battle of] Rorke’s Drift, flying and corridor cricket — and maybe give him a few pointers about how to survive life in the fishbowl.”

Harry — who detailed his life as a senior member of the royal family until his 2020 step-down with wife Meghan Markle in the book — also mentioned his relationship with the Prince of Wales’ three children with Kate: George, Princess Charlotte, born in May 2015, and Prince Louis, born in April 2018.

“I was delighted for Willy and Kate, and I was indifferent to my place in the order of succession,” the BetterUp CIO —who married the Suits alum in May 2018 — wrote in Spare, referring to the royal order of succession.

King Charles III, who ascended the throne after the September 2022 death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II, and late ex-wife Princess Diana welcomed sons William and Harry in June 1982 and September 1984, respectively. As the Duke of Cornwall is the firstborn, he immediately became his father’s direct heir — which made Harry the “spare.”

While the Archewell cofounder often felt inadequate behind his brother, he never felt that way about his nieces and nephews.

“[It’s] fantastic to have another addition to the family,” Harry previously gushed to the BBC in July 2013 of George’s arrival. “[My goal as an uncle is] to make sure he has a good upbringing, and keep him out of harm's way and to make sure he has fun. The rest I'll leave to the parents.”

While the California resident — who shares son Archie, born in May 2019, and daughter Lilibet, born in June 2021, with Meghan — loved doting on his niece and nephews, their bond hit a snag in 2020 after Harry and the Bench author moved away from England. A source later exclusively told Us Weekly in May 2022 that the military veteran “very much” missed George, Charlotte and Louis after his stateside move.

While the Harry & Meghan stars have put distance between themselves and the royal family, Harry remains wary about the royal children’s future.

“As I know full well — within my family — if it’s not [me and my brother], it’s going to be someone else,” the Invictus Games founder told The Telegraph in a January 2023 interview of his fallout with the Duke of Cambridge. “And though William and I have talked about it once or twice, and he has made it very clear to me that his kids are not my responsibility, I still feel a responsibility knowing that out of those three children, at least one will end up like me, the ‘spare.’”

Scroll below for Harry’s ups and downs with his nephews and niece through the years:

Credit: Tim Rooke/Shutterstock; James Whatling/MEGA

Prince Harry’s Relationship With Prince William’s 3 Kids Through the Years: I ‘Wanted a Family'

The “fun” one! Prince Harry first became an uncle in July 2013 when brother Prince William and his wife, Princess Kate, welcomed their eldest son, Prince George.

“Willy and Kate had welcomed their first child, George, and he was beautiful,” the Duke of Sussex recalled of his brother’s firstborn in his Spare memoir, which was published in January 2023. “I couldn’t wait to teach him about rugby and [The Battle of] Rorke’s Drift, flying and corridor cricket — and maybe give him a few pointers about how to survive life in the fishbowl.”

Harry — who detailed his life as a senior member of the royal family until his 2020 step-down with wife Meghan Markle in the book — also mentioned his relationship with the Prince of Wales’ three children with Kate: George, Princess Charlotte, born in May 2015, and Prince Louis, born in April 2018.

“I was delighted for Willy and Kate, and I was indifferent to my place in the order of succession,” the BetterUp CIO —who married the Suits alum in May 2018 — wrote in Spare, referring to the royal order of succession.

King Charles III, who ascended the throne after the September 2022 death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II, and late ex-wife Princess Diana welcomed sons William and Harry in June 1982 and September 1984, respectively. As the Duke of Cornwall is the firstborn, he immediately became his father’s direct heir — which made Harry the “spare.”

While the Archewell cofounder often felt inadequate behind his brother, he never felt that way about his nieces and nephews.

“[It’s] fantastic to have another addition to the family,” Harry previously gushed to the BBC in July 2013 of George’s arrival. “[My goal as an uncle is] to make sure he has a good upbringing, and keep him out of harm's way and to make sure he has fun. The rest I'll leave to the parents.”

While the California resident — who shares son Archie, born in May 2019, and daughter Lilibet, born in June 2021, with Meghan — loved doting on his niece and nephews, their bond hit a snag in 2020 after Harry and the Bench author moved away from England. A source later exclusively told Us Weekly in May 2022 that the military veteran “very much” missed George, Charlotte and Louis after his stateside move.

While the Harry & Meghan stars have put distance between themselves and the royal family, Harry remains wary about the royal children’s future.

“As I know full well — within my family — if it’s not [me and my brother], it’s going to be someone else,” the Invictus Games founder told The Telegraph in a January 2023 interview of his fallout with the Duke of Cambridge. “And though William and I have talked about it once or twice, and he has made it very clear to me that his kids are not my responsibility, I still feel a responsibility knowing that out of those three children, at least one will end up like me, the ‘spare.’”

Scroll below for Harry’s ups and downs with his nephews and niece through the years:

Credit: Eddie Mulholland/Shutterstock

Fun Uncle Duties

After Harry moved into Nottingham Cottage at Kensington Palace, he dreamed it was his perfect chance to solidify bonds with William and Kate’s children, after his brother and sister-in-law moved into the grounds’ Apartment 1A residence.

“I looked forward to popping in all the time. [I would say,] ’Look! It’s Uncle Harry. ‘Ello, Just thought I’d stop by,’” he wrote in his 2023 memoir. “Holding a bottle of wine and an armful of kiddie presents. Dropping to the floor and wrestling with little George.”

However, Harry claimed “it didn’t work out that way” because William and the Duchess of Cornwall did not invite him over for dinner at any time.

Credit: Tim Rooke/Shutterstock

Cute as a Button

Harry told the BBC in July 2013 that he snuggled George shortly after his birth, but that the then-infant had been “crying his eyes out” at the time.

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An Unfortunate Absence

Amid Charlotte’s arrival into the Wales brood, Harry was notably out of town on official duties. During her September 2015 christening, the duke was away working in South Africa on an endangered animal campaign.

“What a bad uncle I am! I should really be there,” Harry quipped to Simson Uri-Khob, a ranger with the Save the Rhino movement, at the time. “But today I am here, this is where I want to be.”

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The Line of Succession

During a 2017 interview with Newsweek, Harry was asked how he felt to have dropped further down the royal line of succession with the arrival of George and Charlotte. “The reason I am now fifth is because of my nephew and niece and I could never wish them away. They are the most amazing things ever,” he gushed at the time.

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Staying Away

After his royal exit, Harry reunited with his family for the first time at grandfather Prince Philip’s funeral in April 2021. The Eton College alum noted in both Harry & Meghan and Spare that he spoke with his father and brother after the memorial during a tense exchange. However, he did not visit with the Wales children.

“Harry didn’t get to see George, Charlotte and Louis in the U.K.,” a source exclusively told Us at the time. “Aside from the day of Philip’s funeral (which George, Charlotte and Louis didn’t attend) and meeting privately with the queen, he was in isolation at Frogmore [Cottage].”

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A Role Model

“They’re extremely fond of him also,” a source exclusively told Us in May 2022 of William’s three children, noting Charlotte especially “very much” sees Harry as one of “her role models.” 

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Future Hopes

As Harry promoted his Spare memoir, he’s been candid about his desires for a reunion one day — for the sake of Archie and Lili.

“I’ve said before that I’ve wanted a family, not an institution — so of course, I would love nothing more than for our children to have relationships with members of my family, and they do with some, which brings me great joy,” he told People in a January 2023 profile.

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Becoming the ‘Spare’?

Harry discussed the fervent sibling rivalry with William in Spare, and he’s fearful that his brother’s children will similarly grow to resent one another.

“Though William … has made it very clear to me that his kids are not my responsibility, I still feel a responsibility knowing that out of those three children, at least one will end up like me, the spare,” Harry confessed to the Telegraph in January 2023. “And that hurts, that worries me.”