Prince William and Princess Kate Were Relieved That "The Drama Was Gone" When Harry and Meghan Left the U.K., Reportedly

Prince William isn't only upset about Prince Harry airing family drama in the media.

According to royal expert Katie Nicholl, the Prince of Wales was—understandably—upset about the simple fact of his brother moving far away from him.

But unlike in a normal family, it was more than just the fear of missing him: William was not pleased that his brother would no longer be there to absorb some of the media attention that he, Princess Kate and their children would now have to receive alone, Nicholl explains.

Still, "William and Kate also felt a sense of relief, that 'the drama was gone' when Harry and Meghan left, as a source told me," the expert writes in Vanity Fair.

The drama she may be referring to includes the excess negative media attention Meghan Markle received during her time as a senior royal (which is a huge part of the reason she and Harry decided to leave in the first place), and her difficulties adjusting to royal duties—as described by Tom Bower in his recent book Revenge, and by the Duchess of Sussex herself in her podcast, Archetypes.

For Nicholl, the rift between the once-close brothers is also a difficulty for King Charles, both on a personal level and for his reign. "He is hurt and disappointed but he has always said his love for Harry is unconditional," a family friend told her.

The late Queen also found the Sussexes' departure very difficult, reportedly. A friend recalled her saying soon after their decision came to light, "She was very hurt and told me, 'I don’t know, I don’t care, and I don’t want to think about it anymore.'"