Prince William took his Hollywood connections to Graham Norton’s sofa, joking about his childhood DJ dreams and pranking a soap star. The episode was well-liked, and viewers praised him as funny, grounded, and likeable. However, a source claimed Prince Harry saw the appearance as an attempt by William to get the upper hand, as it came just days after Harry’s own GQ interview about reconciling with his family.
Prince Harry feels Prince William is ‘trying to get the upper hand’ with Hollywood move, per source
According to Closer, a source revealed that Buckingham Palace’s feedback on Prince William’s appearance had been “great,” so more of the same can be expected. The insider said the aim was to build support for his charities, particularly Earthshot, while modernizing the monarchy.
The guest list of the talk show also reflected that purpose. Cate Blanchett sits on the Earthshot Prize Council, and Robert Irwin is a global ambassador. Hannah Waddingham hosted the 2023 awards. The source noted that they helped William explain the initiative to a mainstream audience.
William’s Hollywood connections also stretched beyond the studio, the source said. He has been friends with David and Victoria Beckham and Tom Cruise. He has also built friendly ties with Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce. Still, the insider stressed, “William isn’t claiming these stars are his best friends, but the relationships are genuine.”
However, to Prince Harry, this may seem “more twisted than William simply wanting to have a little fun and modernising the monarchy.” He likely saw “it as another example of William trying to get the upper hand,” the source claimed. The insider added that Harry believed his brother wanted to enter the Hollywood circles that he and Meghan Markle have been building a place in to “make life uncomfortable for them.”
The timing was also notable. Days before the Norton appearance, Harry’s GQ interview was released. “Some people don’t want it to work out. I want it to work out,” he said. He and Meghan had also made their first joint public appearance since returning to Britain in Nottingham.
The source noted that both brothers were influenced by their mother, the late Princess Diana, who was known to be enamoured with the movie business and America. Their verdict was that William’s showbiz makeover may not be about competing with his brother at all. Instead, it may simply reflect his understanding of how celebrity can capture public attention.
