Opinion: It’s Strange That Prince Harry and Prince William Were Reportedly Having a Physical Fight in Their 30s

An excerpt from Prince Harry’s Spare was recently released. The excerpt contains a shocking allegation that Prince William initiated a physical fight with Harry. It’s disheartening to learn about the strain between the brothers. However, one thing that stands out is that adult siblings were engaged in a physical altercation.

Prince Harry and Prince William’s reported fight

The Spare book excerpt (released by The Guardian) describes a fight that Prince Harry says he and Prince William had back in 2019. According to the preview, Harry alleges William called Meghan Markle “rude,” “difficult,” and “abrasive.” Harry says he believed William’s comments were influenced by the media narrative.

After some words were exchanged, Harry says William “came at me,” and “knocked me to the floor.” Harry says he fell on the dog’s bowl and had injuries from the fall. According to him, he told William to leave, but he returned later to apologize.

It’s strange Prince Harry and Prince William were reportedly in a physical fight

It is not uncommon for siblings to argue. The argument might even escalate into a physical fight among very young siblings. However, it seems odd that Prince Harry and Prince William were fighting this way as adults in their 30s.

According to Mark Ethan Feinberg, a research professor of health and human development at Pennsylvania State University, physical aggression between siblings tends to decrease with age. “Conflict does decrease into adolescence; it sort of levels off,” says Feinberg during an interview with The New York Times. “Early and middle childhood are particularly difficult times for sibling aggression.”

The Times article points out that sibling rivalry serves to assist children with discovering what makes them “unique and special.” Jeanine Vivona, a professor of psychology at the College of New Jersey, tells the publication that children desire to be special in their parents’ eyes. Consequently, they are “always going to push for preferential treatment.”

This could explain the dynamic between Harry and William. It’s possible Harry didn’t feel “special” or “unique” because he was the “spare” to William, heir to the throne. Harry’s frustration about being second could be the real reason for the way he has been acting out. His behavior might have less to do with Meghan and how she was treated by the institution and the media.

Perhaps William and Harry had so much anger built up over the years that it just spilled over and resulted in a physical fight. However, at this stage in their lives, it’s surprising they didn’t have more self-control. The reported fight between William and Harry could be an indication the brothers had issues in their relationship long before Harry married Meghan.

One thing we don’t have is William’s side of the story. It’s tough to determine the full context of the argument without an account from both brothers. Words might have been said that we’ll never know about. There could be much more missing from the conversation that would shed light on what really happened. One thing we do know is that something isn’t right here.

What does Prince Harry hope to accomplish?

During his ITV interview, Prince Harry says he wants his brother and father back. His desire is to have a close-knit family and not “an institution.” However, his actions seem to contradict what he says he wants.

It’s possible Harry truly believes his interviews will draw the family back together. However, his way of getting his family’s attention will likely have the opposite result. If Harry wants his family back, why does he continue to share the intimate details of the rift among the royal family members?

Harry and Meghan have spoken about their experience with the royal family on many occasions. They’ve shared their story with Oprah Winfrey, Netflix, 60 Minutes, ITV, Good Morning America, and more. It’s unclear where they can go from here or if Harry’s pleas to reconcile with his family make sense at this point. Only time will tell if the family will remain fractured or make amends and move forward.

Follow Sheiresa Ngo on Twitter.