Prince William allegedly wasn’t too pleased when he heard about Prince Harry’s idea for the Invictus Games.
In “Spare,” his eagerly awaited memoir, the duke claims William had a jealous reaction when he heard Harry’s idea for the annual sporting event to benefit wounded, injured and sick servicemen and veterans.
“He appeared supremely irritated,” the former military pilot writes in his book, out Jan. 10, claiming that William complained it would drain funds from their foundation.
Harry, 38, called his sibling’s issue “absurd” and explained that the financing would come from the Endeavor Fund, a branch he “created specifically for the rehabilitation of veterans,” as well as donors.
The Duke of Sussex blamed the 40-year-old’s reluctance at the time on their “rivalry between brothers.”
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He recalls, “I covered my eyes with my hands. Had we not gotten over that? All of that stuff about the Heir versus the replacement? Were we not a bit too old for that tiring, child-like dynamic?
“He was married and had a baby on the way,” Harry continues. “Meanwhile, I would order food alone and do my dishes in front of the sink. My father’s sink! I still lived with my dad, [King Charles III]. The game is over, man. You win.”
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The duo’s strained sibling dynamic is a theme heavily reiterated throughout the tome.
In the memoir, Harry even refers to the Prince of Wales as both his “beloved brother and archnemesis.”
Inside Harry’s new memoir
Michael Strahan questioned the California-based royal about these “strong words” in a clip released Thursday, four days before the duo’s “Good Morning America” interview is set to air.
“There has always been this competition between us, weirdly,” the Duke of Sussex replied. “I think it really plays into or is always played by the heir [and] spare [labels].”
Harry alleges that his father played into the dynamic, accusing King Charles of branding him the “spare” the day he was born.