Ten years ago, Prince Harry had a vision about how great of an uncle he would become. Before Prince George was born, the Duke was picturing how they’d play all day, and how he’d teach the young future prince everything he needed to learn. However, today, we know the reality is vastly different.
In his book Spare, Harry claimed William and Kate shut him out when George was born, meaning that he was never able to see his nephew. Meanwhile, as the rift with the royals worsened after he and Meghan moved to the US, the chances of seeing George again became smaller, most likely because of what George’s father felt for Harry.
Some have argued that George, now ten, has begun to understand that his uncle Harry won’t be around that much. And now, royal expert Angela Levin has warned William and Kate to keep George away from Harry.
Prince George’s birth was a significant event for the next generation of the royal family. The firstborn child was to become king – and the “future of the monarchy” was secured. Parents William and Kate were, of course, overjoyed – just like the rest of the royal family. That also included Prince Harry, who was very excited to become an uncle.
Prince Harry was over the moon when Prince George was born
Since it was their first child, picking a name was very tough. Therefore, the Prince and Princess of Wales decided to do it in somewhat of an un-royal fashion.
According to the Times, the Prince and Princess of Wales brought in their dog, Lupo, who helped them choose from the list of possible contenders.
After putting all the possible names on scraps of paper and spreading them on their floor, they let Lupo in and watched which piece of writing he went up to. The English cocker spaniel picked George, and the case was closed.
When George was born, William and Kate needed more space. That meant moving into Kensington Palace.
Prince Harry, meanwhile, moved into Nottingham Cottage, just across the road from his brother’s new home. At the time, he hadn’t met his future wife yet. But looking back, it’s safe to say that Harry had quite the love life at the time. Not least, the fact that he was claimed to have lost his virginity in a field outside of a pub.
In his recent tell-all book, Spare, Harry detailed the moment he became an uncle for the first time when George was born.
“I was an uncle. Willy and Kate had welcomed their first child, George, and he was beautiful. I couldn’t wait to teach him about rugby and Rorke’s Drift, flying and corridor cricket – and maybe give him a few pointers about how to survive life in the fishbowl,” Harry recalled.
When he appeared at an event in 2013, Harry was asked about his newborn nephew and how he felt about becoming an uncle.
“When I saw him [Prince George] he was crying as all babies do, but it’s fantastic to have a new member of the family. I hope my brother knows how expensive my babysitting charges will be,” Harry explained.
Harry felt “shut out” by William and Kate after Prince George’s birth
A reporter asked him what his primary duties as an uncle would be, with Harry replying: “To make sure he has a good upbringing, to keep him out of harm’s way and make sure he has fun. The rest of it I leave up to the parents.”
Two years later, William and Kate welcomed Princess Charlotte. That meant Harry had become an uncle once again. Though at that time, he was further from home than he perhaps would have wanted.
“I went to Australia for a round of military exercises, and while there, I got word: Willy and Kate had welcomed their second child. Charlotte. I was an uncle again and very happy about it,” he wrote in Spare.
It didn’t take long before he felt something was wrong. In his book, the Duke explained how he was really pleased about moving into Nottingham Cottage, within walking distance of Kensington Palace. Or, as he described it, “half a football pitch away” from his house, where he also could hear William and Kate’s nanny go past with the stroller at all hours.
He said it was “nice to get out of the old place, but even better to live in front of Willy and Kate,” and he “could see myself dropping in to see them all the time.”
Harry dreamed about popping into William and Kate’s, hanging out with George, and “throwing himself on the floor” to wrestle with his nephew.
The reality, according to Harry, was completely different.
“I took it for granted that I would be invited to their house at any moment. But the days went by, and it didn’t happen,” he explains. “I understand, I thought. They’re busy! Building a family! Or maybe… three’s a crowd. Maybe if I get married things will change.”
Prince George had a significant role at Harry and Meghan’s wedding
Whether things changed when Harry married Meghan, we may never know. Though, what’s clear is that the two were able to focus on several other things instead, even if we would have liked to believe that the Duke got to spend time with his nephew and niece.
When Harry and Meghan tied the knot at St George’s Chapel, George had a significant role as a page boy, even leaping into action when one of the young bridesmaids started crying.
Zaile Warren, the goddaughter of Prince Harry and the daughter of his close friends Jake and Zoe Warren, was only two at the time. She was the youngest bridesmaid at the wedding, and before the ceremony, she had “a bit of a meltdown,” according to royal correspondents Emily Andrews and Omid Scobie.
On their podcast On Heir, they revealed how then-four-year-old George decided to act and showed his compassionate side.
“She started crying when they were waiting for Meghan,” Andrews said, as reported by Harper’s Bazaar. “It was only a couple of minutes. So Nanny Maria Borrallo kind of looked after her, and George apparently was trying to comfort her as well, which is very sweet.”
Ultimately, Zaile pulled through and was a big part of the successful wedding ceremony – a moment she will likely not remember.
Princess Charlotte also played a role at the wedding.
“She was really sweet,” a royal wedding guest told People. “There was one girl who wanted to go, and she said, ‘No, you can’t go yet. We have to wait until we are asked.’ She was really organized!”
Prince George is aware of feud between his parents and Uncle Harry, royal expert says
Prince George has undoubtedly had a great first ten years of his life. However, the young prince has also been there for several significant events. Harry and Meghan left – and openly criticized and accused – the royal family at the same time as they left the country, then the Queen passed away, meaning his grandfather, Charles, ascended the throne.
While he is still a child, royal expert Tessa Dunlop argues that George probably has picked up how the family is trying to pull together and help his parents to “do their job.”
“They’ve lost Uncle Harry and so forth, and he realizes he’s got to step up to it – 10-year-olds can often be quite mature. A lot has happened in the last 18 months for the Royal Family, and they can’t possibly protect him from all of it, there’s been huge events, the Queen has died, and that has pushed William and Kate up a gear, up a rank and by definition George as well,” Dunlop told OK! Magazine.
“And he’ll be aware of that, and I get the impression that he’s almost accepted to an extent that ‘these aspects come with my role being part of this unique family’, and ‘I’m going to do that for mum and dad and for Grandpa.’”
Tessa Dunlop added, “We saw him embrace his role at the King’s Coronation and I expect one of the ways to help him was to have some of his friends alongside him, perhaps that was part of helping George normalise his experience.”
In his book, Harry mentioned how he fears Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis will end up like him. Several royal experts lashed out against the Duke for speaking about the young royal children, ultimately saying it was none of his business.
Royal expert issues warning to William and Kate about Harry
Harry reportedly has no contact with his brother – and therefore not with Kate – and that most likely also means no contact with Prince George, despite him being his uncle.
Royal expert Angela Levin now warns Prince William and Princess Kate. As reported by the New York Post, Levin strongly advises the Prince and Princess of Wales that to keep George from going down the same path as Harry, they must keep him out of the young prince’s life.
“Kate and William are there to help him [George],” Levin told UK Magazine, quoted by the NY Post.
“But he needs to be kept away from Harry’s negative influence, she added. “George doesn’t have a dysfunctional family, unlike William and Harry growing up, so he should fare better. Kate and William are there to help him.”
It’s not known when the last meeting between Harry and his nephew occurred. However, they certainly got a glimpse of each other during King Charles’ coronation, as George was a Page of Honor. Prince Harry attended the ceremony at Westminster Abbey but left shortly after to fly back to the US, where his son, Archie, celebrated his birthday.
While the Duke didn’t specifically criticize any of the children in his book, the fact that he accused the monarchy as a whole might affect Prince George moving forward.
Prince George could be “harmed” by Harry’s claims
According to the royal expert Angela Epstein, Harry might have “overlooked the damage he could do” to George, as the young prince might be paying the prize.
“So given the way tragedy arced his young life, surely Harry’s concern for his own nephew, George, would be a matter of auto-fill. As the doting and fun-loving uncle, Harry has always displayed affection for his brother’s three young children,” Epstein told the Express.
“So the possibility that George, as second in line to the throne, could be harmed in any way by the Duke’s rage against the monarchy should surely be a concern to him.”
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