A royal author has made a startling revelation that Princess Diana was preparing Prince Harry to be king, as Prince William was not only “shy,” but allegedly showed that he didn’t want the role.
The future king and his younger brother have been at loggerheads over the last six years, amid claims that the “ball has been in William’s court” for a possible reconciliation.
Meanwhile, Prince William has been actively involved with the monarchy and is said to have adopted a no-nonsense approach to matters relating to the firm.
Princess Diana Was Preparing Prince Harry To Be King, Author Says
A long-time friend and confidant of the late Princess Diana has revealed that she believed her second son, Harry, was better suited to ascend the throne over his brother, William, and seemingly made investments in that light.
Royal author Richard Kay made the revelation on the Daily Mail‘s “Palace Confidential” podcast, where he stated that Diana thought William was very “shy” and didn’t want to be involved with the rigors of rulership, leading her to focus on preparing Harry as a potential alternative.
“I think William has been a bit of a surprise. He was a shy young man,” Kay said. “Certainly, when his mother was still alive, she would tell me that she never really thought that William wanted the ‘top job,’ as she called it. The idea that he would one day wear the crown.”
“She, in her mind, was preparing the way for the possibility that it would be Harry who succeeded his father,” he added. “She had a nickname for Harry: She used to call him ‘Good King Harry’ — a throwback to medieval days.”
The Royal Author Believes Prince William Is The ‘Right One,’ Not The Duke Of Sussex
The late princess’s son obviously didn’t go down the route she had allegedly envisaged, as William is poised to take over from King Charles, while Harry is far away from home after dropping his royal duties in 2020 to pursue a private life with his wife, Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex.
“Things haven’t worked out like that, and I think we are all rather grateful that they haven’t,” the royal author shared, referencing the rift between the brothers.
Kay further likened the situation to how people used to speculate that Princess Margaret would be a better ruler than Princess Elizabeth.
“The consensus was ‘we got the right one.’ And, I think we got the right one in William as Prince of Wales,” he said, adding that he has since “grown into” his role as future king and has totally embraced his destiny.
Prince William Has Been Actively Involved In The Monarchy
Reports suggest William has been taking a hands-on, no-nonsense approach to the monarchy, amid the blowback it has suffered from controversies involving senior members like Harry and their uncle, former Prince Andrew.
He has reportedly been pushing for the latter to be banished far away from the royal family as his ties to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein brought him under fresh scrutiny.
William has also adopted a more people-facing approach and has remained very active with official events and engagements.
He reportedly hosted a garden party on Wednesday on behalf of King Charles, featuring other members of the royal family, and recently completed an official visit to Saudi Arabia.
“What I quite like about him is that he is coming up with some quite different ways to approach royalty,” Kay said.
The royal author added, “He recognizes that some of the aspects of modern monarchy are antediluvian and doesn’t resonate well with the modern public, and I think he is aware that he’s going to have to make some big changes to ensure its survival.”
Prince Harry And Prince William Remain Estranged
The Prince of Wales is said to have shut the door on his younger brother and has refused to establish communication with the duke.
According to People Magazine, royal author Omid Scobie revealed that nothing has changed between them over the past couple of years.
In 2023, “Harry was still waiting for that moment of accountability from his brother — an opportunity to talk about many of the grievances that have built up to this point and be able to move on from that,” Scobie told the news outlet.
In 2026, “Nothing has changed,” he continued. “The expectations and wants and wishes of Prince Harry are exactly the same as they were then — and none of them have been met.”
‘The Ball Is In Prince William’s Court,’ Royal Author Claims
The royal author told the publication that Harry made “repeated attempts” to reach out to his brother both directly and “through mutual friends and individuals that they both deem important in their lives.”
However, according to Scobie, William has remained insistent on keeping his distance from the Duke of Sussex.
“The ball has been in William’s court for some time now,” Scobie added. “And he’s chosen not just to knock it back, but to kick it in the other direction.”