By Molly Claire Goddard
12:06pm PST, Feb 25, 2026
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According to
Princess Diana's former butler
Paul Burrell,
Prince William isn't likely to repair his relationship with
Prince Harry. "I think William has distanced himself from Harry a lot more than people realize," he told
Fox News Digital. "Because William's path is very different from Harry's. As he gets nearer and nearer to the throne, which will be in a few years, he has to remain isolated. He has to be in a world that is very tight and protected."
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Paul Burrell believes a lack of trust between
Prince William and
Prince Harry is at the crux of the issue. "He can't let things leak out," he said. "He doesn't want to live in a world with a leaky sieve. He doesn't want to live in a world that can't be controlled because, to be a monarch, you have to control the environment. You have to look after the crown."
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When
Prince William assumes his role as king of England, a large responsibility will be on his shoulders. "That thousand years of royal history has to be protected and that will be in William's hands," Paul Burrell said. "He can't afford to let it break while he's in control of it. So, William is very mindful, and his world is very, very protected. His little bubble of himself, [his wife]
Kate Middleton and the children are isolated in a way. But he has to do that to keep it safe."
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Royal expert
Hilary Fordwich believes
Prince William's unease with
Meghan Markle is another reason he stays away from
Prince Harry. "
Prince William blames Meghan Markle for escalating their private tensions into a highly public media circus," she told
Fox News Digital. "He has no tolerance for reconciliation."
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Despite
Prince William's distance,
Prince Harry has expressed his desire to patch things up with his family. "I would love reconciliation with my family. There's no point in continuing to fight anymore. Life is precious," he told the
BBC.
