The sibling rivalry between Prince William and his younger brother is still going strong. William’s recent actions will no doubt have sent a clear message to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle that will likely hurt their feelings, but he doesn’t seem to care.
Last week it was announced that former royal aide, Jason Knauf, would be taking on the role of CEO of The Earthshot Prize, an environmental organization launched by Prince William back in 2020. The decision to give Knauf the role is significant because he has some beef with Harry and Meghan and this has been interpreted as William taking a very clear side in the argument.
Why Jason Knauf’s new role is significant
Prior to his promotion, Knauf was perhaps best known for the claims he made against Meghan Markle. Back in 2018, when he was working for the Sussexes, he made a formal complaint against the Duchess, accusing her of bullying. Knauf wasn’t the only employee working for the royal family to make such claims, but he was certainly one of the loudest.
He claimed that the Duchess drove out two personal assistants and undermined the confidence of another staff member. Meghan has denied these accusations. While the claims made against Meghan have never been confirmed it goes without saying there’s some animosity between the Sussexes and Jason thanks to his complaints.
Prince William’s alliance sends a clear message
Royal experts have claimed that William’s decision to give Knauf such a prestigious role will “infuriate” Harry and Meghan although this may be somewhat intentional. Richard Fitzwilliams told Fox News Digital “It is impossible to avoid feeling that this is precisely what William intended.”
Fitzwilliams went on to say that, “As far as the Sussexes are concerned, [Knauf] undoubtedly has pariah status, [But] William is clearly showing he doesn’t care about what his brother thinks, much less Meghan… The royal rift seems permanent.”
Meanwhile, other royal experts claimed that this move adds legitimacy to Knauf’s bullying claims. Hilary Fordwich stated that “This is a clear signal as to the legitimacy of all the bullying reports, damning to Meghan Markle.” It certainly suggests that William has taken a clear side in the feud between the Sussexes and their former aide. She went on to claim that Jason was one of William’s “closest confidantes,” especially after the betrayal from his own brother.
William and Harry might not be on speaking terms, but the Prince has sent a very clear message. At this point it looks like there is very little hope of mending the rift in the royal family, no matter how many gift baskets Meghan sends out.
Published: Apr 23, 2025 07:42 am