In a rare public rebuttal, Prince Harry has forcefully denied claims that he deliberately scheduled his latest international trip to compete with his brother, Prince William, insisting that his visit to Canada for Remembrance Day events was planned long in advance and driven entirely by veteran causes.
The controversy began when royal commentator Victoria Arbiter suggested that Harry’s announcement — coinciding with William’s high-profile tour in Rio de Janeiro for the fifth anniversary of the Earthshot Prize and the United Nations Climate Summit COP30 — seemed “inevitable, if not predictable.”
Harry’s spokesperson swiftly pushed back, telling The Daily Mail that any suggestion of rivalry was “categorically false.”
“It means, therefore, that the period of time in which we can release details of events is much more truncated than it is for His Majesty the King or the Prince of Wales,” the statement read. “The events were planned nearly a year ago. The date of the main event, the dinner, is set by the charity, not Prince Harry.”
The Duke’s team added that security restrictions — the same issue at the center of Harry’s ongoing legal battle with the British government — limit when his public appearances can be disclosed.
“We are always guided, as to when we can announce trips like this, by advice from his private security advisers and the event’s security team,” the spokesperson said.
While William continues his environmental diplomacy in South America, Harry’s Toronto itinerary focuses on honoring veterans and supporting military families — echoing his long-standing Invictus Games mission.
Still, the flare-up underscores how fragile relations remain within the royal family. Since the Sussexes’ move to California in 2020 and the publication of Harry’s memoir Spare, insiders say communication between the brothers is “virtually nonexistent.”
“Both men are charting their own paths,” one royal aide told NewsNation. “But even when their causes align — climate, service, duty — the perception of rivalry never seems to fade.”
For now, both princes press on: William as the heir redefining the monarchy’s global mission, and Harry as the outsider determined to protect his causes — and his family — on his own terms.\
