Prince Harry and Prince William’s former royal aide, Jason Knauf, is sharing his unique insider perspective on the brothers’ years-long rift.
“It’s very difficult to have this stuff play out in the public eye,” Jason, who worked as a communication secretary for the brothers and their wives, said during a rare interview with 60 Minutes Australia on Sunday, February 23. “But [William]’s chosen to keep his thoughts on it private, and I think all of us who know him really have to respect that we should do the same.”
He continued, “But I will say, of course, it’s been hard and sad, especially for all of us who know both of them.”
Jason served as a communications secretary to William, 42, and his wife, Princess Kate Middleton, as well as to Harry, 40, and his wife, Meghan Markle, before transitioning to the role of chief executive of William and Kate’s Royal Foundation in March 2019. Although he stepped down from the royal household at the end of 2021, he remains on the board of trustees for Prince William’s Earthshot Prize.
As for Harry and Meghan, 43, he said he worked “closely” with the former royals and had “lots of great times.” In addition, he called their 2018 wedding an “amazing, magical experience.”
When asked about how Prince Harry’s role could change within the royal family when his older brother ascends to the throne, he said, “I can’t speculate about the future. They achieved a lot together, and none of that can ever be taken away.”
Harry and William’s public rift seemingly began in 2018 behind closed palace doors when a royal reporter claimed William wasn’t welcoming to Harry’s new wife.
Harry and Meghan famously stepped down from their responsibilities as royals in early 2020, which only heightened his already strained relationship with William and Kate, 43. The drama continued to escalate after the 2023 release of Harry’s tell-all memoir, Spare, where the royal shed even more light on the feud with his brother, including a physical conflict.
In the pages, Harry accused William of physically assaulting him during an argument over the Suits actress in 2019. The dad of two explained he got into an argument with his brother after William called Meghan “difficult,” “rude” and “abrasive.”
“He grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor,” Harry wrote about the altercation. “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.”
In the years since, Harry and William have reunited only a handful of times. However, Harry has made several attempts to warm back up with his family, specifically his father King Charles, after his cancer diagnosis.
“Harry is heartbroken and worried he’ll never see his father again,” a source exclusively told In Touch in May 2024. “It’s not stopped him from loving his dad but has reminded Harry that some things may never be repairable.”
The king hasn’t seen his youngest son in person since February 2024, when Harry made a very brief visit to the United Kingdom after Charles’ cancer diagnosis was announced. Harry returned to the U.K. to attend the 2024 WellChild Awards ceremony on September 30, 2025, but a source told People that Harry had “no plans” to see his father or brother during the visit.
Additionally, Charles’ wife, Queen Camilla, reportedly “did not encourage” a reunion between Harry and his father, as she did not want to put any more “unnecessary stress” on Charles amid his cancer battle, a source told Daily Beast.
“She has been the principal voice urging Charles to slow down and take things easy,” the insider said. “The last thing she wants him to do is to get stressed out over a meeting with Harry.”
