Royal tensions reignited as the Duke of Sussex slams allegations of a family fight
Prince Harry has categorically denied reports that he was involved in a physical altercation with Prince Andrew during a family gathering over a decade ago.
A new book, entitled The Rise and Fall of the House of York, alleges that in 2013 the Duke of Sussex and the Duke of York clashed after a remark was made “behind Harry’s back”, resulting in what the author describes as a physical confrontation.
The book claims, “Harry got the better of Andrew”, and that the exchange ended with Andrew suffering a “bloody nose”.
However, a spokesperson for Prince Harry has firmly dismissed the claims, stating to the Daily Telegraph: “Prince Harry and Prince Andrew have never had a physical fight.”
A History of Friction?
The biography, penned by royal historian Andrew Lownie, suggests a strained relationship between Prince Andrew and his nephews, Princes William and Harry. According to extracts serialised in the Daily Mail, the author paints a picture of longstanding tension within the royal household.
Lownie alleges that Prince Andrew once told Harry his marriage to Meghan Markle would “not last more than a month” and accused him of going “bonkers” for marrying her.
In response, the Duke of Sussex’s spokesperson made it clear: Prince Andrew did not “ever make the comments he is alleged to have made about the Duchess of Sussex to Prince Harry.”
Lownie’s account goes further, citing a source who claims Prince Harry later told Prince William that he “hated Andrew”. The book also highlights ongoing friction between Prince William and Prince Andrew, alleging the Duke of York made derogatory comments about the Princess of Wales.
There are even suggestions that the Prince of Wales wants Andrew and his former wife, Sarah Ferguson, removed from Royal Lodge in Windsor — the grand estate Andrew leases from the Crown Estate.
Amid fresh claims of a royal bust-up, Prince Harry has stepped forward to challenge what he calls fiction, as tensions surrounding the House of York continue to bubble to the surface.
Though Harry denies any altercation with Andrew, he has previously acknowledged another family row. In his memoir Spare, released in 2023, Prince Harry revealed that he and his elder brother, William, had once come to blows over Meghan.
He wrote: “(William) called me another name, then came at me. It all happened so fast. So very fast. He grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor.
I landed on the dog’s bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me. I lay there for a moment, dazed, then got to my feet and told him to get out.”
Harry further recalled that William returned soon after, looking remorseful and apologised. Before leaving again, William allegedly told him, “You don’t need to tell Meg about this.”
As Entitled makes waves in the press, the Royal Family finds itself once again in the media glare, with past tensions resurfacing and new claims being swiftly challenged. The firm denials from Prince Harry’s camp suggest the Duke is no longer willing to let such narratives go unchecked.
With books, biographies, and bombshell memoirs flying off the shelves, it seems the Royal Family’s internal battles — whether factual or fictional — will remain very much in the public eye.
