Prince Harry’s relationship with Prince William isn’t the only dynamic that has changed over the years. The Duke of Sussex’s bond with his sister-in-law, Princess Kate, has gone through its own changes following his and Meghan Markle’s royal exit.
Harry met Kate after she started dating his older brother while they were attending the University of St Andrews. When news broke that William had proposed to Kate, Harry told the press that he was “absolutely delighted” about their engagement.
“I’ve always wanted a sister and now I’ve got one,” Harry gushed in December 2010. “I’ve known Kate for years, and it’s fantastic that she is becoming part of the family.”
After the Prince and Princess of Wales wed in 2011, Harry often stepped out with the couple for royal engagements. When Kate was pregnant with her and William’s oldest child, Prince George — born in July 2013 — the in-laws only got “closer,” per an insider.
“He told her not to be afraid to call, no matter the time of day,” the source told Us Weekly of Harry and Kate at the time.
When asked about his “mission” as an uncle to the future king, Harry told the BBC: “To make sure he has a good upbringing, and keep him out of harm’s way and to make sure he has fun. The rest I’ll leave to the parents.”
While William and Kate went on to welcome Princess Charlotte in May 2015 and Prince Louis in April 2018, Harry met now-wife Meghan during summer 2016. After they got engaged in fall 2017, the former military pilot confirmed his brother and sister-in-law had spent time with the Suits alum.
“I’d been seeing her for a period of time when I literally didn’t tell anybody at all. And then William was longing to meet her and so was Catherine, so you know, [them] being our neighbors we managed to get that in a couple of – well, quite a few times now, and Catherine has been absolutely amazing,” Harry said in the couple’s engagement interview as Meghan called Kate “wonderful.”
The Duchess of Cambridge told reporters that same month that she and her husband were “absolutely thrilled” for Harry and Meghan, noting: “It’s such exciting news. It’s a really happy time for any couple and we wish them all the best and hope they enjoy this happy moment.”
Soon after, however, things got rocky as Meghan adjusted to royal life. In their December 2022 docuseries, Harry & Meghan, the Deal or No Deal alum and Harry reflected on how the U.K. media unfairly compared Meghan and Kate. The harsh press and allegations of racism were contributing factors in the twosome’s decision to step back from their roles as senior royals in January 2020 and relocate to America.
As Harry and Meghan began to discuss their ups and downs with The Firm — first via a tell-all interview on CBS in March 2021 and again in their six-episode Netflix show — sources told Us that both William and Kate weren’t thrilled with the airing of dirty laundry.
“I think that the idea that Kate’s being dragged into this will be upsetting for Kate who behind the scenes has tried really hard to be a peacemaker between William and Harry,” royal expert Kate Nicholl added during an interview with Entertainment Tonight in 2021. “She has been deeply saddened by the brothers’ falling out. Don’t forget she was incredibly close to Harry herself.
Scroll through for more on Harry and Kate’s ups and downs: