Once again, for the fifth year or something, Prince Harry and Prince William did separate events for the Diana Award, the sole patronage in which both brothers have stayed involved. At the last Diana Award ceremony, William appeared in person and Harry appeared virtually, hours after William left. Harry also did a solo event with the Diana Award in September, when he was in New York. This week, William handed out letters to the recipients and didn’t go to the ceremony, while Harry sent in a prerecorded video. This has apparently set off the Daily Beast’s Royalist, Tom Sykes. While his new column snipes at Harry, Sykes and his sources save the most aggrieved criticisms for (gulp) William. As in, William is supposed to be the next king, and he’s behaving like a sullen child, stomping his feet and refusing to even speak to Harry. Some highlights from Sykes’ new column:

The brothers refusing to appear together at the Diana Award: Their inability to appear even in the same virtual space (the awards were held online Thursday), marked a “sad indictment of both brothers obstinacy,” that is harming both of their reputations, friends of the family and former staffers told The Daily Beast.

Harry will not apologize: Harry is said to have dropped his own demands for an apology from the royals for the poor and discriminatory way he alleges his wife was treated by the royals when they lived in the U.K as working royals, and The Daily Beast has been told he would like to make a fresh start with his family, including his brother. However, Harry has made it clear he will not apologize for or withdraw remarks made in his films, book or interviews which shed unprecedented light on intimate family secrets—and William will not countenance a rapprochement unless he does.

Hard Peg: William’s stance has hardened, sources have told the Daily Beast, since one friend first told The Daily Beast that William “f***ing hates” his brother. This came after Kate Middleton was “accidentally” named as one of the so-called “royal racists” who Meghan Markle alleged raised “concerns” over the likely skin color of any of Meghan and Harry’s children, before they were born…Friends of William’s have previously told the Daily Beast that many in William and Kate’s circle believe that by telling Oprah Winfrey on TV that somebody or some people had made racially insensitive comments, Harry and Meghan set in train a series of events that would inevitably ultimately lead to Kate being identified.

A former staffer who worked with both brothers says: “It’s extraordinary how what was essentially a family argument has got completely out of proportion and is now causing immense damage not just to Harry’s reputation, but also to the king, who looks weak for not being able to crack his sons’ heads together, and the future king, William, who looks petty and ridiculous. Whether or not it is the case, it looks very much like William refused to attend the awards after hearing Harry was making a video appearance. Is this how he is going to rule the country?”

An old school friend of William and Harry says: “The Windsors are known for being obstinate, and this is a sad indictment of both brothers’ obstinacy. It’s in honor of their mother, for goodness sake.”

William’s influence: The Daily Beast has previously reported that William is getting, if anything, more hostile to the concept of a reconciliation with Harry. Furthermore, The Daily Beast has been told he is using his influence to prevent any reconciliation between Harry and King Charles.

[From The Daily Beast]

First of all, I think it’s interesting that this “both sides need to work it out” tantrum is coming out regarding the Diana Award stuff, all while courtiers, friends and “royal sources” stay silent as the grave about all of Harry’s very newsworthy comments at the New York Times’ DealBook Summit. It’s almost like they’re consciously ignoring everything Harry said on the record at a prestigious summit which also featured people like Bill Clinton, Jeff Bezos and Serena Williams. They think if they ignore it, they can just continue with the stale storylines they already have in motion, aka William And Harry Need To Bury The Hatchet.

As for that hatchet-burying agenda… the fundamental problem is the one which is rarely said out loud. William will “never forgive” Harry… for moving, for being successful, for marrying his dream girl, for not begging to come back, broke and divorced. That is why William is mad. William thinks he’s owed the upper hand as the heir. He thinks he should be able to bark orders at Harry. William’s brain has been broken for years because none of this Sussex situation has gone the way he planned, or the way he was promised it would go. And yes, William does look stupid, petty, ridiculous, childish, wrathful and violently punitive. Which is why so many people are still pleased that Harry got his wife and children the hell out of there.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.