Prince William and Duchess Kate are still reeling from Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan‘s decision to take a “step back” from senior royal duties.
A source tells Us Weekly that William, 37, is distraught and frustrated by his little brother’s desire to redefine he and Meghan’s roles within the royal family.
“William’s done everything in his power to help his brother over the years and feels totally let down by his ‘reckless’ and ‘selfish’ actions,” the insider says. “The way he sees it, Harry’s thrown all the good advice he gave him back in his face.”
Duchess Kate, 38, has also been impacted by Harry and Meghan’s bombshell announcement, according to the source.
“When Harry was feeling low or had problems, William was always there for him, as was Kate,” the insider tells Us. “Kate’s incredibly hurt too. She acted as a mentor to Harry before Meghan came into the picture and hates seeing her husband so upset.”
While Queen Elizabeth II is said to be “furious,” she is “urging” the brothers “to put on a united front,” to prevent the situation from escalating. “But right now, William and Harry refuse to make amends — they’re both being stubborn, especially Harry,” the source adds.
Harry and Meghan, 38, shocked the world when they announced on Wednesday, January 8, that they would be stepping down from their senior roles within the royal family, work to become “financially independent” and “balance their time” between the U.K. and North America.
“After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution,” the joint statement read via their Instagram account. “We intend to step back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen. It is with your encouragement, particularly over the last few years, that we feel prepared to make this adjustment.”
The couple, who wed in May 2018, went on to share that their part-time relocation to North America would provide their 8-month-old son, Archie, with “an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born, while also providing our family with the space to focus on the next chapter, including the launch of our new charitable entity.”
The Queen responded to the news with a statement from Buckingham Palace explaining that the royal family are still in the “early stages” of their discussions.
“We understand their desire to take a different approach, but these are complicated issues that will take time to work through,” the palace said.
The 93-year-old monarch called for an emergency meeting on Monday, January 13, with Harry, William and their father, Prince Charles, at the Sandringham estate in Norfolk, England, where the family will discuss the logistics of Harry and Meghan’s plans.
