bitchy | Salty Prince William doesn’t believe Harry’s Toronto trip is a coincidence

Here are more photos of Prince William in Brazil, and I’m including a mix of Day 1 and Day 2 photos (Monday and Tuesday). On Day 2, William visited the Guapimirim mangrove area in Guanabara Bay and he did a walkabout in Ilha de Paqueta. That’s all I’ve got – William doing photo-ops which supposedly highlight something to do with environmental causes, but there’s a lack of chatter about what’s actually happening in these events. The message is tied to William’s optics alone – the way he looks or how he’s desperately trying to be a global statesman or how he can’t stand up straight to cut his life. Speaking of, sources close to William were chatty with Tom Sykes. They’re super-salty that Prince Harry announced his trip to Canada as soon as William touched down in Brazil. Some highlights:

Harry’s Monday announcement: That timing, royal aides say, was not lost on anyone. “It’s not subtle,” one former courtier told me dryly.

William’s messaging is more about looking healthy compared to a dying king: William’s visit to Copacabana was certainly choreographed to emphasize royal youth and energy, a powerful visual antidote to the narrative of a sick and ailing king—not to mention his portly, disgraced brother.

William’s boring trip was overshadowed by Harry’s announcement: The harmony of William’s trip was jarred when Harry’s Canadian itinerary dropped. Harry’s team confirmed he would attend events for the True Patriot Love Foundation, supporting veterans and military families. The dates—November 5 and 6—make his appearance a direct clash with the Earthshot schedule. Harry’s aides insisted the King’s office had been informed “as a courtesy.” They also made a case that Harry wouldn’t be forced to make last minute announcements of his plans if he had—you guessed it—global security.

Harry’s choreography: Within palace walls, the move is seen as another provocation at a delicate time. “William’s people don’t believe in coincidence,” one source told me. “They believe in choreography. Harry knows exactly what he’s doing.”

William is so mad, he’s threatening to yank the Sussexes’ titles yet again: Tensions have been heightened by allegations, first reported by The Royalist and since picked up by global media, that the Waleses intend to revisit the question of Harry and Meghan and their children’s titles once William becomes King. For years, courtiers maintained that revoking a royal style was impossible. That illusion vanished when King Charles stripped Prince Andrew of his “His Royal Highness” title by Letters Patent last week, proving that what the monarch grants, the monarch can just as easily withdraw. Friends of the couple say the Wales machine is preparing to redefine the family’s outer circle in anticipation of the next reign. One said: “William wants a slimmed-down monarchy, and Harry doesn’t fit the silhouette.”

Harry refuses to do what the Crown requires: Still, it would be wrong to imagine Harry is acting out of sheer spite. Those close to him describe his Canadian engagements as a sincere extension of his lifelong identification with soldiers and remembrance culture. Yet sincerity has never insulated him from criticism, particularly when his timing offends the royal sense of hierarchy. As the former palace aide remarked acidly, “Harry’s always been convinced that duty means doing what feels right to him, not what the Crown requires.”

Harry & Charles are talking again: Behind the scenes, Charles remains in “regular” contact with his younger son. Since their brief tea-and-talk meeting in London in September, the two men are said to have resumed phone calls. But the King’s efforts at reconciliation are mistrusted by his heir, whose stance is hardening. William, insiders say, sees little point in trying to rebuild a relationship with a brother he no longer trusts.

[From The Royalist Substack]

Regarding the timing and the war of the brothers… wouldn’t a true global statesman and future scooter king simply shrug off his brother’s announcement and not send his minions out to brief Sykes? William is the one making this into a bigger offer than it is. William could have had two full days in Brazil where all of the headlines were solely about him. What did he do with that time? Made a horse’s ass out of himself playing volleyball with kids and bitched to press allies about Harry.

“Harry’s always been convinced that duty means doing what feels right to him, not what the Crown requires.” Harry was perfectly willing to be a good soldier, a dutiful member of the Firm. He even offered to remain half-in the institution and allow the family some degree of control over his schedule. They kicked him out, removed his security, leaked his location and authorized a global smear campaign against him to punish him for marrying someone they didn’t like. Harry is no longer duty-bound to “what the Crown requires.” He is doing charity work and humanitarian work on his own dime, on his own time. William and “the crown” need to get over themselves. Also: I suspect that William is more upset over Charles and Harry’s renewed relationship more than anything else. “Father is MINE, Harold!”

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.