
In his memoir Spare, Prince Harry opens up about a heated and physical altercation with his older brother, Prince William, which took place during a particularly intense disagreement about Meghan Markle. The fight occurred when Harry was living at Nottingham Cottage, and William, criticizing Meghan, referred to her as “difficult,” “rude,” and “abrasive”—terms that Harry believed were simply regurgitated from the press.
The tension escalated, with the brothers exchanging insults. William claimed he was trying to help, but Harry retorted, “Are you serious? Help me? Sorry—is that what you call this? Helping me?” This response apparently enraged William, who swore at Harry and approached him aggressively. Harry, feeling frightened, attempted to de-escalate by retreating to the kitchen, but William followed him.
In the midst of the confrontation, Harry offered William a glass of water in an attempt to calm things down, but the situation quickly deteriorated. William threw the water aside, insulted Harry again, and physically attacked him—grabbing him by the collar, ripping off his necklace, and knocking him to the floor. Harry fell onto the dog’s bowl, which shattered beneath him, cutting him.
Dazed from the fall, Harry eventually managed to get up and demanded William leave. This altercation marked one of the most dramatic and painful moments in their fractured relationship, as Harry recounts in the memoir, shedding light on the emotional and physical toll these arguments had on their relationship.