Princess Diana Believed Prince Harry Would Be King, Royal Author Claims

Princess Diana believed her younger son, Prince Harry, would be well-equipped to be King, according to royal author Ingrid Seward. Seward recounted that Harry once told his elder brother, Prince William, "if you don't want to be King, I will be," as Diana expressed greater concern about William's apprehension towards the public attention associated with his future role.

Seward, who has covered the Royal Family for 40 years and knew Diana privately, discussed these insights on the Daily Mail's "Palace Confidential" show while promoting her book, "Catherine & Diana." She noted that Diana fretted about William because he "didn't like the attention" from a young age. "Funny thing is, Diana always said to me, 'Oh, Harry will be fine!' She got that wrong, didn't she?" Seward remarked, referencing the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's decision to step back from royal duties in 2020.

Seward recalled Diana telling her, "He'll be fine, he's happy-go-lucky, he takes the world as he finds it." However, Seward observed that Harry has "completely changed." While Diana was mistaken about Harry's future path, her primary concern, Seward stated, was for William. "William didn't like the attention that was focused on him from a very young age, and Harry used to say to him, 'If you don't want to be King, I will be,'" Seward said.

According to Seward, Prince Harry enjoyed the "pageantry and pomp" during his upbringing, whereas Prince William was "more reticent and thought things through." This difference in personality was further illustrated by a former royal protection officer who described Harry as someone who would "run out and deal with" a situation, while William would "get on the phone to the police."

Seward suggested that Harry's actions since leaving royal life, including "incredibly damaging things to the monarchy" and "very hurtful remarks" in his memoir "Spare," have contributed to the estrangement between the brothers. The memoir details an alleged physical altercation where Harry claims William pushed him during an argument.

Richard Kay, Editor-at-Large for the Daily Mail, also shared his perspective on "Palace Confidential," recalling that Princess Diana believed William "never really wanted the top job." Kay, who was a close friend of Diana's in the years before her death, stated that Diana privately referred to Harry as "good King Harry," a nickname alluding to medieval times, and that she "was preparing the way for Harry to succeed his father."

Kay noted that William has been "a bit of a surprise" and that Diana perceived him as a "shy young man" who might not desire the monarchy's highest position. He concluded, "I think the consensus is that we got the right one. We've got the right one in William as Prince of Wales."

Despite a public rift that has seen the brothers not speak since Queen Elizabeth's funeral in September 2022, Prince Harry expressed a desire to reconcile last year, stating, "There's no point in continuing to fight any more." However, friends of the Prince and Princess of Wales are reportedly unable to forgive the Sussexes for what they perceive as damaging public statements made after their departure from royal duties.