Prince William has made what many see as his first public acknowledgment of his fractured relationship with Prince Harry, describing family pressures as “overwhelming” during one of his most candid interviews to date.

The 43-year-old heir to the throne sat down with comedian Eugene Levy for an episode of Apple TV+’s The Reluctant Traveller, where he opened up about the strains of royal life, family challenges, and his hopes for the monarchy’s future.

“Stuff to do with family overwhelms me, quite a bit,” William admitted. “You know, worry or stress around the family side of things that does overwhelm me quite a bit… When it’s to do with family and things like that, then that’s where I start getting a bit overwhelmed. As I think most people would, it’s more about feeling, it’s more about upsetting the rhythm.”

While William did not mention his brother by name, the remarks are being widely interpreted as a veiled reference to his ongoing estrangement from Harry.

Brothers Divided

The once inseparable brothers have been seen together only on rare occasions since Harry and Meghan Markle stepped down from royal duties in 2020. Their last significant public appearance side by side was at Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in September 2022.

William also reflected on the shared pressures he and Harry faced while growing up in the spotlight, particularly after the divorce of their parents, King Charles III and the late Princess Diana. He suggested that he is determined to shield his own children from the same relentless media scrutiny.

“I don’t want them to go through practices in the past that Harry and I had to grow up in,” he told Levy.

The last time William publicly spoke about his brother came in October last year, when he recalled how Diana used to take both him and Harry to visit a homeless shelter. “My mother took me to the Passage. She took Harry and I both there,” he said then.

When Harry recently returned to the UK for a private meeting with their father, King Charles, reports suggest William did not take part in the reunion.

A Different Path from His Father

Royal author Valentine Low has noted that William often takes a far more cautious approach to delicate matters compared to King Charles, preferring to remain measured in his words.

In his conversation with Levy, however, William revealed that he does envision change when he eventually takes the throne.

“I think it’s safe to say that change is on my agenda. Change for good. And I embrace that and I enjoy that change—I don’t fear it,” he explained. “That’s the bit that excites me, is the idea of being able to bring some change. Not overly radical change, but changes that I think need to happen.”