‘Rude’ Harry, Meghan note reportedly angered William

Harry and Meghan’s public message directed at their royal sister-in-law a few months ago reportedly infuriated Prince William.

IN LONDON

Prince William was reportedly left furious by his estranged brother Prince Harry’s decision to refer to his wife as “Kate” in his public message of support following her cancer diagnosis earlier this year.

It’s understood the Princess of Wales, who was widely known as Kate during her younger years, let it be known just prior to her and William’s wedding she would henceforth prefer to be called Catherine.

While friends and family reportedly heeded the request, the “Kate” moniker had more broadly stuck by the time she made the change – and so she’s still often called it by members of the public and mainstream media outlets.

After she announced her cancer diagnosis in an emotional statement in March, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex released a public statement, which read: “We wish health and healing for Kate and the family, and hope they are able to do so privately and in peace.”

Meghan and Harry issued a public message addressing their sister-in-law as “Kate”. Picture: Raul Arboleda/AFP

The princess prefers to be called “Catherine”. Picture: Leon Neal/Getty Images

But according to the Daily Beast, William took offence to their refusal to call his wife Catherine, “even when they were sending her get-well-soon messages”, with a friend of the future King’s revealing he found it to be “an entirely unnecessary and deliberate irritation.

“The fact that Harry and Meghan were unable to bring themselves to use her chosen name, even when they were sending her get-well-soon messages after her cancer diagnosis, was noted,” the insider said.

“William takes offence at people calling Catherine ‘Kate,’ because she has asked to be known as Catherine. It’s a fairly simple wish to respect. I’m sure Meghan wouldn’t like it if William started publicly calling her ‘Meghan Markle.’

“Of course it’s an utterly trivial thing, but those of us who know William know that it is one of the things that pushes his buttons. Pushing his buttons while he was going through his wife’s cancer seemed an entirely unnecessary and deliberate irritation.”

It was reported around the time the cancer diagnosis became public that Harry and Meghan had also reached out privately, which the UK’s Sunday Times claimed recently was met with silence from the Wales’.

As the source added: “I wonder if the private card began, ‘Dear Kate…’”

Meanwhile, another friend of the princess’ added that it was a lack of courtesy which added to the brothers’ already fractured relationship.

“No-one’s saying it’s responsible for all the trouble, but deliberately calling someone by a name they don’t like is just bloody rude. If Harry and Meghan were serious about healing their issue, a good first step would be to call her Catherine.”

Harry once had a close friendship with his sister-in-law. Picture: Chris Jackson/Getty Images

In the wide-ranging Times article, close friends of William’s also claimed he does not want his brother to come to his coronation when he ascends the throne.

Their relationship was reportedly often rocky, as detailed by Harry himself, but it became increasingly strained after the Sussexes quit royal duties.

Their subsequent 2021 Oprah Winfrey interview, Netflix docu-series, and Harry’s explosive memoir, Spare, reportedly caused William and Kate to completely sever ties.

The source told the Times that as things stand, he would not want his brother at his crowning and said: “They are estranged, which is dreadfully sad.”

The friends also alleged that William and Harry have not spoken in “nearly two years.”

“The problem for the King and other members of the family is the worry that if they have a chat with Harry, it will appear in Spare volume two,” added one of Charles’ friends.

“How do you regain the trust? I don’t think Harry ever can.”

“But from the conversations I’ve had with the King, I would never say their relationship is irreparable,” the friend continued. “The King’s capacity to forgive his son is undimmed. There are other members of the royal family who are much more weighted against Harry, that’s the problem.”