Prince William ‘desperately needs Harry’ but 22-word statement shows tension remains

Prince Harry is set to make a trip to the UK after his sister-in-law Princess Kate announced her shock cancer diagnosis. But a royal expert believes despite William “desperately” needing his brother tension still remains, and may not thaw out.

Princess Kate, Prince William and Prince Harry were once “very, very close knit” and the Duke of Sussex “adored” Kate according to TalkTV royal erditor Sarah Hewson.

But speaking on Times Radio Ms Hewson said Harry had since said some “pretty cruel things” about Kate in his autobigoraphy and Netflix documentary released after he stepped down as working royal.

Ms Hewson said it was understood Prince Harry and Meghan, who now live in Montecito, California, didn’t know about the Princess of Wales’s cancer diagnosis until it was made public on Friday.

After Kate’s video message about her health fight was released to a shocked nation, the Sussexes issued a 22-word statement saying: “We wish health and healing for Kate and the family, and hope they are able to do so privately and in peace.”

Ms Hewson said it was thought the Sussexes had since reached out to the Princess privately and that it was a “well meaning” statement about “health and healing”.

But she added: “You can only think how desperately William would need his brother right now as a support and that relationship just isn’t there.”

The royal commentator added that Prince William was now in “protection mode” over his wife and family. The Prince and Princess of Wales are said to have been “enormously touched” and “extremely moved” by the public’s warmth and support following Kate’s cancer announcement.