Prince Harry’s Heartbreak A False Scandal and a Brother’s Support

Prince Harry shared a poignant moment from his past when he felt “heartbroken and horrified” over a false newspaper article and found unexpected support from his brother, Prince William. Detailing the incident in his memoir “Spare,” Harry recounted how a seven-page newspaper story from January 2002 accused him of substance abuse and falsely claimed he had recently attended rehab.

The headline “Harry’s Drugs Shame” left the Duke of Sussex reeling. He described the article as a collection of “lies,” explaining that it not only painted him as a habitual drug user but also fabricated a rehab visit. “Rehab!” he emphasized, expressing his disbelief and frustration, told The Mirror.

Harry explained that the article’s editor had obtained photos of him and his friend Marko visiting a suburban rehab center months earlier. The visit, part of his charitable work, was twisted into evidence for the false narrative. “The journalist repurposed the photos, made them visual aids for her libellous fiction,” Harry wrote.

The young prince’s shock turned to anguish as he imagined the public reaction. “I felt sickened, horrified, I imagined everyone, all my countrymen and countrywomen, reading these things, believing them,” he said. He also felt the weight of potential gossip across the Commonwealth.

Adding to his distress, Harry speculated that his father, Prince Charles, and stepmother, Camilla, might have been complicit in the story’s creation. The idea that his own family could be involved left him “heartbroken.” “They abetted this nonsense. For what? To make their own lives a bit easier?” he mused.

In his desperation, Harry turned to his brother, William, for support. “I phoned Willy, I couldn’t speak. He couldn’t either,” Harry recalled. William’s reaction was one of sympathy and anger, as he was privy to more details about the manipulations behind the article. “At moments he was even angrier about the whole thing than I was,” Harry wrote, noting that William’s knowledge of the backroom dealings added to his outrage.

Despite his anger, William conveyed a sense of resignation about the situation. He told Harry that nothing could change what had happened, highlighting the harsh realities of royal life. “This was Pa. This was Camilla. This was royal life,” William said, according to Harry.

This moment of solidarity between the brothers stands in stark contrast to their current strained relationship. The once close siblings have been embroiled in a bitter feud, reportedly not speaking for months, if not years.

Harry’s memoir provides a rare glimpse into the complexities of royal life and the personal struggles he faced. It also underscores the profound impact of media scrutiny and familial dynamics on his mental health. The incident from 2002, a critical juncture in Harry’s life, reveals the deep-seated issues that have contributed to the brothers’ ongoing rift.