Prince William’s New ‘Inner Circle’ Includes These 2 Royals as ‘Replacement’ Brothers
Prince Harry isn’t part of Prince William’s “inner circle” and hasn’t been for years. So, who is there for the Prince of Wales? A royal expert says the 41-year-old’s support system includes two fellow British royals: a cousin who is “almost like a brother to him” and someone else who married into the family.
Peter Phillips and Mike Tindall are part of William’s ‘inner circle’
William’s brother, the Duke of Sussex, “is not, and will not, be here to help or provide a shoulder to cry on,” according to Jennie Bond, a former BBC royal correspondent (via OK).
While Kate Middleton undergoes preventative chemotherapy and King Charles III gets back to work after his own cancer diagnosis, Peter Phillips, the 46-year-old son of Princess Anne, and Mike Tindall, 45, husband to Zara Tindall, are there for William to lean on.
“I’m really glad that William has a cousin who is almost like a brother to him in Peter Phillips,” Bond said. “Peter is incredibly down-to-earth, solid, and has been there for both William and Harry in good and bad times.”
Phillips, she noted, acted as a buffer between Harry and William at Prince Philip’s funeral in April 2021. He “formed a physical bridge between them when Harry came back for their grandfather’s funeral as he walked between the brothers—as if to keep the peace.”
“It was good to see Peter supporting William” at the May 21, 2024, Buckingham Palace garden party, “along with William’s other ‘replacement’ brother, Mike Tindall.”
“I can imagine the three of them having a lot of fun together,” the expert said. “This is William’s inner circle.”
Phillips and Tindall will still be William’s confidants when he becomes king
Bond went on to describe Tindall and Phillips as “people he [William] can trust absolutely.” They are “showing that they are there for him when the going gets tough.”
As for the aforementioned garden party, where William got support from his so-called inner circle, Bond saw it as a preview. “I think it gave us a glimpse of the future for when William becomes king,” she said.
“He may not have his brother at his side, but he will have a band of loyal and close relatives to help him represent the monarchy,” she added. “I’m sure that, whenever they can, they will step up to help William when the burden of kingship finally falls on his shoulders.”
Prince Harry reportedly wants to reconnect with Prince William
It seems Harry’s still holding out hope he and William can someday reunite. Not only did Harry say in a February 2024 interview that illness can bring families together, but he also said he hopes to spend more time with royal relatives.
However, Harry didn’t get support from any senior royals when he visited London, England, in May 2024 for the 10-year Invictus Games anniversary.
Through it all, including his father’s cancer diagnosis as well as Kate’s, he’s reportedly trying to make a reunion happen despite Meghan viewing it as a “losing battle.”
More than four years since Harry left royal life, it seems his relationship with William remains largely unchanged. The 39-year-old reportedly bowed out of attending a mutual friend’s wedding rather than risk crossing paths with his older brother.
To date, the last time William and Harry were in the same room was in May 2023 at their father’s coronation. Prior to that, the two both attended Queen Elizabeth II’s September 2022 funeral.
