Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s former press secretary is speaking out about the Duke of Sussex's ongoing rift with Prince William.
Former palace aide Jason Knauf, who also handled communications for the Prince and Princess of Wales, gave an interview to "60 Minutes Australia." In it, Knauf made rare comments about the brothers and how their relationship broke down in recent years.
"It's very difficult to have this stuff play out in the public eye, but [William's] chosen to keep his thoughts on it private, and I think all of us who know him really have to respect that we should do the same," said Knauf.
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It's been said that Prince Harry and Prince William aren't on speaking terms. (DOMINIC LIPINSKI/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
"But I will say, of course, it's been hard and sad, especially for all of us who know both of them."
It’s been widely reported that the relationship between Harry, 40, and William, 42, began to disintegrate in 2016. At the time, William reportedly expressed concerns about how fast Harry’s relationship with Meghan, 43, was going. Those comments reportedly didn’t sit well with Harry.
When asked if Harry’s role within the royal family could change when William accedes to the throne, Knauf responded, "I can't speculate about the future. They achieved a lot together, and none of that can ever be taken away."
Jason Knauf continues to be on the board of trustees for William’s Earthshot Prize. (Alberto Pezzali – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Meghan, a former American actress, became the Duchess of Sussex when she married the prince in 2018.
Knauf described the couple’s 2018 wedding as an "amazing, magical experience."
"I worked really closely with the two of them, and we had lots of great times," he said.
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Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, ride by carriage during Trooping The Colour on the Mall on June 9, 2018, in London. The couple stepped back as senior royals in 2020. (Samir Hussein/Samir Hussein/WireImage)
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back as senior royals in 2020 and moving to California. They cited what they said were the unbearable intrusions and racist attitudes of the British media.
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In 2021, just days before Meghan and Harry’s interview with Oprah Winfrey was televised, emails Knauf wrote about the Duchess of Sussex’s alleged behavior were leaked.
In a report published by The Times, Knauf alleged in email correspondence to the palace’s human resources department that Meghan had bullied two palace aides.
Royal reporter Valentine Low broke the story. Meghan’s team strongly refuted the claims.
In response to bullying allegations published by The Times UK, a spokesperson for the Sussexes told the outlet, "Let’s just call this what it is – a calculated smear campaign based on misleading and harmful misinformation." (Samir Hussein/Getty Images)
In the "60 Minutes Australia" interview, when asked about receiving unwanted public attention, Knauf replied, "I think it’s tough, but it’s probably quite good."
"You know, as someone who has been helping other people through how to deal with the public eye, you probably have to take your own medicine sometimes," he explained.
"You can’t choose just to take the fun stuff in any job, and that applies to the prince and princess as well as everyone else working for them. So, I wouldn’t change anything."
Knauf said in the broadcast that he wished the Duke and Duchess of Sussex "absolutely all the best with their lovely family."
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex reside in California with their two young children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Fox News Digital reached out to a spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for comment.
Knauf went on to work as chief executive of William and Kate’s Royal Foundation. In 2021, he stepped down from the royal household.
Knauf continues to be on the board of trustees for William’s Earthshot Prize.
Since Harry and Meghan’s royal exit, the brothers have reunited only a handful of times, People magazine reported. According to the outlet, they were last together at a memorial service for their uncle, Lord Robert Fellowes, in August but reportedly avoided each other.
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Prince William and Prince Harry have managed to avoid each other in recent years. (Daniel Leavl-Olivas-Pool Getty Images)
Sources previously told the outlet that Harry’s calls and letters to his father, King Charles III, go unanswered. His attempts to connect with William are also ignored. Fox News Digital reached out to Kensington Palace for comment at the time.
Prince Harry's memoir, "Spare," was published in 2023. In it, he detailed his fractured relationship with Prince William. (JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
In his 2023 memoir, "Spare," Harry alleged that during an argument in 2019, William called Meghan "difficult" and "rude" and then grabbed him by the collar and knocked him down. Harry suffered cuts and bruises from landing on a dog bowl. Harry claimed Charles implored the brothers to make up.
Following the funeral of Charles’ father, Prince Philip, in 2021, the king pleaded, "Please, boys, don’t make my final years a misery."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
