Prince William’s ‘final straw’ with Meghan Markle means ‘War of Waleses’ will never…

Prince William and Harry may never come back from the brutal feud that’s torn the Royal Family apart.

Princess Diana ’s best friend and confidant Paul Burrell watched the Wales children grow up together but now he says the War of the Waleses has seen battle lines drawn that may never be crossed. Burrell exclusively tells The Mirror: “The trouble is once things are said they can’t be taken back and people have been hurt.” The former butler thinks Harry and Meghan’s attacks on Princess Kate crossed the line for the future king while Harry is still smarting at the loss of his military uniforms.

I think William, is hurt because his wife has been criticized when she is above that, she’s never put a foot wrong,” Burrell explains.

Burrell says the “tittle tattle” over Kate making Meghan cry about bridesmaids’ dresses days before her wedding feels like a “betrayal” and was the “last straw” for William who could have forgiven Harry accusing him of squabbles and physical fights.

“Because, yes, he can have a fight with his brother and break a dog bowl, that’s what boys do, rough and tumble. But do not criticise Kate, who has sacrificed everything for this role, to bring us an heir and to give him a queen,” Burrell says.

And I think William doesn’t have a voice to support his wife. And Harry knows that. And so this barbed criticism, heading towards Kate couldn’t be defended. And so it remains in the air as a truth.”

But Harry has also been hurt by his family as he was stripped of his military titles after giving up life as a working royal and isn’t allowed to wear his military uniforms at royal events. “I think Harry mourns the loss of his connection to the army, his uniforms,” Burrell says. “He dedicated his whole life into service for the country, and to have that taken away from him? He didn’t quite understand. He tried the best he could to keep that association alive.”

Harry served for 10 years in the army, including two tours in Afghanistan where he fired on the Taliban from an Apache helicopter. In Spare, Harry revealed that he killed 25 enemy fighters in the Helmand region. “So, my number: 25. It wasn’t a number that gave me any satisfaction. But neither was it a number that made me feel ashamed,” he wrote.

The King gave the war veteran special permission to wear his uniform at the final vigil for the late Queen at Westminster Hall ahead of the funeral service “as a special mark of respect”. But he was forced to wear a plain dark suit for the funeral and at his father’s coronation in May.

Now both Harry and William have their reasons to be upset but are unable to back down.
“It’s a new war of the Waleses, these two boys fighting against each other, knowing the rules, and yet flouting them,” Burrell says.

And he doesn’t think the war will end any time soon. “I think there’s more ammunition in the bank, which can be fired at the royals,” Burrell says. “Because let’s face it, Meghan hasn’t written a book yet. There’s her perspective and her truth, we still have to get through whenever that comes out.”

But Harry and Meghan’s openness and desperation to tell their story could mean there’s no way back for the brothers. “The Royals do not like private, intimate knowledge being revealed and dirty laundry being washed in public, they don’t appreciate that,” Burrell says.

“William protects his little world very, very carefully and doesn’t let people in because of this. The last person you expect to betray you, and they use that word, betrayal, is his brother. That word is being used widely now in royal circles. They feel, ‘It’s a betrayal of our trust and confidence.’”

Burrell watched the Wales boys grow up while he was in service to their mother Princess Diana from 1987 until her death in 1997 and says he could never have predicted they would fall out.

I’m devastated by the coldness between William and Harry because watching them grow up from little babies and being part of their world, knowing how close they were, knowing how tight they were, and especially after their mother’s death, and knowing what a bond they had,” Burrell says. “I just can’t believe that there’s such a rift grown between them. One of Grand Canyon sized proportions, which can’t be bridged, it really can’t.”

Burrell doubts the rift will ever be mended because “too much has been said” and adds: “They live in different worlds now pursuing different dreams and different ideals.”