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Throwback: Prince William’s Easter Complaint That Took Harry By Surprise

In his memoir, Prince Harry recalled an argument with his brother over an Easter tradition.

The bitter relationship between Prince William and Prince Harry has been making headlines for several years now, evolving from just minor disagreements to an eventual family divide. Tensions between them are believed to have begun in 2018, reportedly over Harry’s relationship with Meghan Markle, and it only grew worse after the couple stepped back from their royal duties in 2020. Since then, multiple incidents of rifts between the brothers have come to light, including claims in Harry’s memoir Spare. One such incident highlights a moment when Harry was left confused by an Easter-related grievance from his elder brother.

In his explosive memoir, Harry recalled an argument with his brother, the Prince of Wales, over a long-standing Easter tradition. As reported by the Daily Express, he wrote, "Willy and Kate were apparently upset that we hadn't given them Easter presents." He added, “Easter presents? Was that a thing? Willy and I had never exchanged Easter presents. Pa always made a big deal about Easter, sure, but that was Pa. Still, if Willy and Kate were upset, we apologized.” While exchanging presents at Easter can be a thoughtful way to express gratitude and bring people closer together, the tradition isn’t widely observed.

It has also been reported that William and Harry spent their childhood Easters enjoying chocolate egg hunts, a tradition that was lovingly arranged by their late mother, Princess Diana. Diana's former protection officer, Ken Wharfe, spoke of this and said, “Diana was very much a hands-on mother and would organize the Easter egg hunt, but she’d get all the staff involved hiding them.” He then went on to add, “The boys were both very competitive, so they’d be running around with no inhibitions trying to be the first to find them, badgering the staff to tell them where they were hidden!”

Similarly, William and Kate Middleton have carried on the egg hunt tradition with their own children, at least once at their former residence, Anmer Hall. On the other hand, despite now living in the U.S., Harry has also continued to embrace the Easter traditions he grew up with in the U.K. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex still keep the festive spirit alive with customs like the classic egg hunt, as reported by InStyle. In their 2022 Netflix docuseries, Harry & Meghan, the couple was seen preparing a Peter Rabbit-themed Easter egg hunt for their son, Prince Archie.

Meanwhile, the memoir Spare also features several other clashes between the royal brothers, especially since the rift deepened over time. One of the major revelations included details about how a confrontation with William at his London cottage turned physical, with William grabbing Harry's collar and knocking him to the floor. The clash was reportedly triggered by remarks William made about Meghan, calling her 'difficult', 'rude', and 'abrasive'. Speaking of his reaction to the physical fight, Harry stated, "I lay there for a moment, dazed, then got to my feet and told him to get out."