Duke of Sussex’s ‘GMA’ interview featured in ‘Prince Harry’s Mission: Life, Family and Invictus Games’
According to a royal expert, Prince William, the future king of Britain, does not need to feel envious nowadays.
In the ABC News special currently available for streaming on Hulu, titled “Prince Harry’s Mission: Life, Family, and Invictus Games,” British journalist Robert Jobson mentioned that William “was taken aback” and felt envious of his younger brother’s successful passion project.
Royal expert Hilary Fordwich informed Fox News Digital that while William, the Prince of Wales, may have experienced jealousy in the past, the situation has changed today.
“Prince Harry’s future may be uncertain, but William’s is more stable and secure than ever,” stated Fordwich. “William tops the latest YouGov poll in popularity, along with his beloved wife.”
“From celebrities vying to be seen with him at the recent BAFTA awards to Hollywood A-listers keeping their distance from Harry and Meghan,” Fordwich continued, “there’s now nothing for William to feel envious about.”
The special also highlights Prince Harry’s recent interview with “Good Morning America.” The father of two recently attended a three-day trip to Canada for the one-year countdown celebration of the Invictus Games.
Jobson observed that the Invictus Games has been the 39-year-old’s “top passion project.”
“It’s been remarkably successful from the beginning,” Jobson remarked, as cited by People magazine. “It’s not inexpensive; it requires substantial funding, and he’s managed to consistently raise those funds over this period, which is commendable.”
“But there was a sense of envy about its remarkable success,” Jobson continued. “I believe William was taken aback by how well it has performed, the significant amount of funding it has attracted, and the level of government support it has received.”
Modeled after the Warrior Games in the United States, Prince Harry established the Invictus Games in 2014 as a Paralympic-style event aimed at inspiring military veterans worldwide as they strive to overcome battlefield injuries. Harry, a former captain in the British Army, initiated the Games.
According to the outlet, the Invictus Games were established during Harry’s tenure as a patron of The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry, a charitable organization shared by the royal brothers and William’s wife, Kate Middleton.
Meghan Markle, a former American actress, became the Duchess of Sussex upon marrying Harry in 2018. She joined the foundation as its fourth patron after their wedding.
In 2019, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex departed from the foundation, leading to the division of offices between the two couples. They aimed to establish their philanthropic organization independent of the now-Prince and Princess of Wales.
In 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex relinquished their roles as senior royals and relocated to California. During this time, they claimed that palace officials were unsupportive of Meghan Markle’s mental health struggles as she adjusted to royal life. Additionally, the couple alleged that Markle faced racial prejudice from the U.K. media, which influenced their decision to leave the country.
Despite these changes, Prince Harry has continued his involvement with the Invictus Games.
According to the outlet, William and other royal family members attended the inaugural Invictus Games held in London. Queen Elizabeth II showed her support for the second edition of the event by participating in a comedic sketch alongside Harry, featuring President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama. However, the outlet observed that in recent years, the royals have not been actively involved in the event.
In the special, royal commentator Victoria Murphy highlighted that with Harry no longer serving as a working member of the royal family, the Invictus Games “no longer falls under the purview of organizations officially affiliated with the royal family.”
“When they were younger, William, who has always been more cautious by nature, was said by those close to them to have felt somewhat envious of Harry’s naturally lively personality,” stated Fordwich. “Fast-forward to today, the success of the Invictus Games did indeed catch many in royal circles off guard, including Prince William. However, much has changed since then, particularly in their relationship, which was last observed when they were relatively close.”
The relationship between William and Harry, already strained by the time Harry exited royal duties, deteriorated further when the Duke of Sussex publicly aired his grievances. Harry also delved into their sibling rivalry in his memoir, “Spare.”
Since stepping back from royal duties and relocating to California, Harry has had a troubled relationship with his family. He attended his father’s coronation in May alone but left immediately after the ceremony ended to return to the U.S. for his son’s birthday.
“At their father’s coronation, Harry appeared profoundly uncomfortable and noticeably out of place, like an extra at the ceremony,” remarked Fordwich. “He seemed uneasy, then smiled and nodded as he recognized some acquaintances while making his way to his seat at Westminster Abbey.”
After stepping back as senior royals, Harry and his wife voiced their grievances about royal life. In 2021, they sat down with Oprah Winfrey for an interview that was watched by 50 million people worldwide. Following the release of a six-part docuseries on Netflix in 2022, their memoir, “Spare,” was published in 2023, swiftly becoming a bestseller.
Harry arrived from California less than 48 hours after Buckingham Palace announced on February 5 that the king had cancer. The meeting between the monarch and his younger son at Clarence House was brief, as Charles and his wife, Queen Camilla, were observed leaving approximately an hour later.
According to The Times, Harry and his father engaged in “warm exchanges” during their 45-minute meeting. It was reported that Harry did not meet with his older brother, and there were no plans for such a meeting.
“I found it quite intriguing that not only did William choose not to meet with Harry during his visit to the UK, but he was also comfortable letting people know that he had no intention of doing so,” remarked Murphy in the special. “I believe that speaks volumes about the ongoing significance of those tensions.”