Skip to main content

TL;DR: 

  • In Spare, Prince Harry reportedly claimed Prince William physically attacked him during a fight about Meghan Markle.
  • Meghan Markle reportedly reacted with sadness after seeing “scrapes and bruises” on Prince Harry’s back. 
  • Prince Harry also reportedly wrote Prince William told him he didn’t “need to tell” Meghan Markle about what happened. 
Prince William, Meghan Markle, and Prince Harry, who, according to a leaked 'Spare' excerpt writes Meghan Markle reacted to Prince William 'attack' at Nottingham Cottage with sadness.
Prince William, Meghan Markle, and Prince Harry | Eddie Mulholland – WPA Pool/Getty Images

Spare isn’t out yet, but it’s already making waves. Excerpts from Prince Harry’s long-awaited memoir have leaked just days ahead of the book’s release. One of which reportedly details a physical altercation between the Duke of Sussex and his brother, Prince William. Ahead, how Meghan Markle’s reaction to the incident is reportedly described in Spare

Prince Harry claims Prince William didn’t want him to tell Meghan Markle about Nottingham Cottage fight, report on leaked ‘Spare’ excerpt says

U.K. newspaper The Guardian published an excerpt of Spare before it will be released in full on Jan. 10. Perhaps the biggest bombshell claim is Harry’s recollection of a 2019 meeting with the now-Prince of Wales. 

Harry wrote that William came by Nottingham Cottage at Kensington Palace where they were supposed to discuss “the whole rolling catastrophe” of their own relationship and the press. William, he wrote, arrived “piping hot.” 

Name-calling ensued — William labeled his sister-in-law “rude,” “difficult,” and “abrasive” — and “knocked” Harry “to the floor.” 

William left and later returned “looking regretful, and apologized.” As he went to leave for the second time, Harry wrote, he “turned and called back: ‘You don’t need to tell Meg about this.’”

“‘You mean that you attacked me?’ Harry recalled responding to which he said William replied, “‘I didn’t attack you, Harold.’”

Prince Harry called his therapist before Meghan Markle later noticed ‘scrapes and bruises’ on his back

Prince Harry 'Spare' book, in which an excerpt reportedly includes an 'attack' from Prince William and how Meghan Markle reacted
Prince Harry ‘Spare’ cover | Mike Kemp/In Pictures via Getty Images

Also seen in the Spare excerpt is what happened in the aftermath. Harry wrote he didn’t tell Meghan right away what happened with William. Instead, he called his therapist. 

Only later, when Meghan saw “scrapes and bruises” on his back from landing on the dog’s bowl, did he share where they came from. Harry, now 38, recalled Meghan “wasn’t that surprised, and wasn’t all that angry.” Rather, he wrote, the altercation made her “terribly sad.” 

Meghan Markle briefly talked about Prince William in ‘Harry & Meghan’ on Netflix

In Volume II of Netflix’s six-part Harry & Meghan docuseries, the former Suits star alluded to the fractures in her and Harry’s relationship with William.

It came when she and Harry reacted to the news that Jason Knauf, a former palace employee and aide to William, submitted an unnecessary witness statement against her in an ongoing legal case with a U.K. tabloid. 

“Let me deal with it,” Harry said to which Meghan replied, “But so how do we deal with it? Like, how on earth… Like…”

“It’s your brother,” she added moments later. “I’m not going to say anything about your brother, but it’s so obvious.”

Meghan eventually won the lawsuit. However, as a result of Knauf’s statement, she apologized for misleading the court regarding her involvement in the Finding Freedom biography.