Speaking on True Royalty TV’s The Royal Beat, royal expert and biographer Duncan Larcombe says Prince William ‘simply wouldn’t’ brief against Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

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Prince William and Prince Harry reunite at Diana statue unveiling

There’s “no way” Prince William would have deliberately briefed against his brother Prince Harry to the media, a royal expert has said.

Earlier this week, the second part of a controversial BBC documentary about William and Harry’s relationships with the media was screened.

Called The Princes and The Press and presented by Amol Rajan, it delved into the brothers’ widening rift and the time leading up to Harry and wife Meghan Markle quitting as senior royals.

The first episode last week had reportedly angered The Firm after it included suggestions that negative stories about Meghan were leaked by courtiers and there was competitiveness between the respective households of William and Harry.

Speaking on True Royalty TV’s The Royal Beat, royal expert and biographer Duncan Larcombe said William “simply wouldn’t” deliberately brief against his brother and sister-in-law.

He said: “I can tell you that, as far as I am concerned, there is no way Prince William would deliberately brief against his brother.

“He simply wouldn’t do it.

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Elsewhere in the programme, he said: “One of the key issues with the BBC documentary is the fact that they underestimate just how sensitive a subject it is for Prince William that his own brother and sister-in-law Meghan have accused [The Firm] of briefing against them and deliberately allowing stories that aren’t true about Meghan to circulate – [such as] that she made Kate cry before the wedding – and their claim that stories are the wrong way round.”

At the end of both parts of the BBC documentary, a rare joint statement was shown slamming some of the claims in the show as “unfounded”.

The statement, from Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace and Clarence House, said: “A free, responsible and open Press is of vital importance to healthy democracy.

“However, too often overblown and unfounded claims from unknown sources are presented as facts and it is disappointing when anyone, including the BBC, gives them credibility.”

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the same documentary, Meghan’s lawyer hit back at bullying claims made against the Duchess of Sussex.

The allegations surfaced publicly in March this year and were branded a “calculated smear campaign” by the Sussexes, who fiercely deny any wrongdoing.

An investigation by Buckingham Palace into the claims is currently ongoing but in the BBC show, Ms Afia was asked by presenter Amol Rajan if the story, which first appeared in The Times, was accurate.

She told the programme: “The overall allegation was that the Duchess of Sussex is guilty of bullying. Absolutely not.

“The first thing is to be really clear about what bullying is. What bullying actually means is improperly using power deliberately and repeatedly to hurt someone physically or emotionally.

“The Duchess of Sussex has absolutely denied ever doing that. That said, she wouldn’t want to negate anyone’s personal experience.”

The Royal Beat – available on True Royalty TV.