A controversial new book claims that Prince Harry sent a “coded message” to Prince William, subtly accusing his older brother of marrying Kate Middleton to keep up appearances.

What a horrid story to come out just as the Princess is the middle of a medical crisis, huh?

Robert Hardman, author of The Making of a King: King Charles III and the Modern Monarchy, alleges that the subtle allegation can be found in Harry and Meghan’s 2022 Netflix series.

According to Hardman, when Harry spoke about his marriage to Meghan Markle in the show’s first episode, he did so with the intention of shaming William.

“Harry talks about marrying someone for love, not because it’s the sort of person you ought to,” Hardman told Page Six in a recent interview.

“I think that’s a lot more wounding. I mean that’s effectively dissing your brother and his choice of wife in a very public way.”

“For so many people in the family, especially obviously the men, there can be a temptation or urge to marry someone who fits in the mold, as opposed to somebody who you are perhaps destined to be with,” Harry said in the series.

He went on to claim that his mother, Princess Diana, would be appalled by the former approach to choosing a spouse.

“The difference between making decisions with your head, or your heart,” Harry said.

“And my mum [Diana] made most of her decisions, if not all of them, from her heart. And I am my mother’s son.”

Did Prince Harry Accuse Prince William of Marrying Kate Middleton For Sake of Appearances?

Obviously, Harry didn’t make any explicit claims about William and Kate’s marriage, but according to Hardman, the message was loud and clear.

Passive aggression is apparently a second language to the royals, especially when they’re addressing one another through the media.

Hardman says William was likely aghast at Harry’s comments, not only because of the insulting claim about his marriage but also because he’s fiercely protective of his privacy.

“Both these brothers, they’ve guarded their privacy,” Hardman explained.

“It’s been really important to them. And William is a really private person. He doesn’t do nearly as many interviews as his father did at this age and family life is absolutely off-limits for media,” the journalist continued.

“Privacy is really important and Harry’s just gone and chucked all these stories about their childhood into the public domain.”

What’s Next For William and Harry?

These days, William and Harry are not on speaking terms, and there’s been no indication that either brother is interested in resolving the tension.

William’s attention is certainly elsewhere these days, as Kate was admitted to the hospital for abdominal surgery earlier this week.

We wish her a speedy recovery.

We would also express hope that William and Harry might eventually patch up their relationship, but that seems more and more like a lost cause!