Prince Harry Claims Prince William Physically Attacked Him

Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry attend the European Premiere of 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' at Royal Albert Hall on December 12, 2017 in London, England.

(Image credit: Photo by WPA Pool / Getty)

Prince Harry's memoir, Spare, reportedly includes a claim that Prince William "knocked him to the floor" over a discussion of Meghan Markle in 2019.

While the Duke of Sussex' memoir only comes out on Jan. 10, the Guardian obtained a copy ahead of its release date, despite "stringent pre-launch security around the book."

According to the publication, Harry recalls a confrontation between himself and his older brother at the Sussexes' home in London at the time, Nottingham Cottage in Kensington Palace.

William reportedly visited Harry in his home, and arrived "piping hot." William then proceeded to call Meghan "difficult," "rude" and "abrasive." According to Harry, William "was not being rational," as the Guardian reports, and there was a lot of shouting from both sides.

They insulted each other, then William told Harry he was trying to help him. Harry replied, "Are you serious? Help me? Sorry—is that what you call this? Helping me?"

William apparently made a move towards him at this stage, and Harry went into the kitchen with his brother in tow.

Handing him water, Harry said, "Willy, I can’t speak to you when you’re like this."

In the book, Harry recalls, "He set down the water, called me another name, then came at me. It all happened so fast. So very fast. He grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor. I landed on the dog’s bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me. I lay there for a moment, dazed, then got to my feet and told him to get out."

William wanted Harry to hit him back like he might have as a child, but Harry didn't take the bait. His brother left, then came back and apologized, though he refused to acknowledge he had "attacked" him.

Speaking to the BBC, Kensington Palace had "no comment."

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Iris Goldsztajn is a London-based journalist, editor and author. She is the morning editor at Marie Claire, and her work has appeared in the likes of British Vogue, InStyle, Cosmopolitan, Refinery29 and SELF. Iris writes about everything from celebrity news and relationship advice to the pitfalls of diet culture and the joys of exercise. She has many opinions on Harry Styles, and can typically be found eating her body weight in cheap chocolate.