Prince Harry Refused To Talk To Prince William After Realizing They 'Were In Crisis': Book

Prince William and Prince Harry have trust issues with each other, according to a report.

King Charles and Princess Diana's two sons were very close growing up. But the two reportedly got estranged after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped down from their royal duties in 2020.

In an upcoming book by The Times of London's royal correspondent Valentine Low, he claimed that Prince Harry and Markle's interview with Tom Bradby for a documentary, which sparked global news, resulted in a "heartbreaking" encounter between the royal siblings that "highlighted the dysfunction" of their relationship.

"William, home after the Pakistan tour, appears to have been taken aback at such a stark portrayal of his brother and sister-in-law's unhappiness. He realized they were in crisis," Low wrote, 7News reported. "The day after the documentary aired, William WhatsApped his brother to ask if he could come and see him. This put Harry and Meghan into a spin. What should they do? Initially, Harry was in favor. Then he spoke to his brother again, and asked him whom he would tell."

The Prince of Wales told his younger brother he had to tell his private secretary because he had to clear his schedule. But upon hearing it, Prince Harry reportedly told Prince William, "Don't come."

"He was so concerned that William's team would leak the visit to the press that he would rather not see his brother than risk it getting into the papers. To everyone who knew what was going on, this was heartbreaking," Low continued.

Trust became an issue between the royal brothers after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped down from their royal duties in 2020 and did a tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey last year. Katie Nicholl, the author of several royal books, including "Harry: Life, Loss and Love," told Entertainment Tonight that the Prince and Princess of Wales have a "lack of trust" in the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

The two royal couples didn't meet in June after the Sussexes flew to the United Kingdom for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. Nicholl said it was not due to the "busy timetable" but also because "I do know that William and Kate are worried that anything they might say or do with the fact that it could end up being leaked to the media. So, I think in the case of really having to prove now that they can be trusted."

After Bradby interviewed the Duke and Duchess of Sussex during their tour to Africa, he told "Good Morning America" that the royal couple "seemed a bit bruised and vulnerable." He added that "things weren't entirely brilliant behind the scenes."

"Look, part of this job and part of any job, like everybody, means putting on a brave face and turning a cheek to a lot of the stuff. But again, for me and for my wife, of course, there's a lot of stuff that hurts — especially when the majority of it is untrue," said Prince Harry in the "Harry & Meghan: An African Journey" documentary.

"Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind The Crown" will hit shelves on Oct. 6.