Prince William 'felt betrayed and severely let down' after Prince Harry's shock claims

The Prince of Wales "felt betrayed and severely let down" by the actions of a journalist he once considered a friend following a shock interview with Prince Harry months before his royal exit.

Prince William thought ITV News presenter Tom Bradby had "crossed a line" when he spoke to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in Africa at the end of their tour there in October, 2019.

During the candid chat, Prince Harry told Bradby he and William were on "different paths" while Meghan tearfully described the pressures of motherhood and the interest in her public life as a member of the royal family.

The interview made headlines around the world because Harry had, for the first time, addressed rumours of a rift between him and his brother, admitting they had "good days" and "bad days".

Prior to the interview, Prince William had enjoyed a close working relationship with Bradby during his time covering the royal family.

But that all changed when Bradby spoke to Prince Harry and Meghan at the culmination of their visit to southern Africa, in which they brought along their baby son, Prince Archie.

The Mirror's royal editor Russell Myers details the fallout in his new book, William and Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story.

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Upon returning to London, Bradby had reportedly contacted Prince William in private to express his concerns about Prince Harry's mental health.

But a source said William was angry at the journalist, believing he had taken sides with Prince Harry.

"William felt betrayed and severely let down," the source said, according to Myers' book.

"He considered Tom a friend, they had always got on and Harry was close to him too, but [William] never thought [Bradby] would take a side like he did."

William was said to have been annoyed that Bradby did not question Meghan or Harry about allegations of bullying and other rumblings happening within the royal household.

The source added: "Tom knew full well what Meghan was accused of and chose not to raise it in the documentary, while she ran roughshod over the family. As far as [William] was concerned, the friendship was over there and then."

Asked by Bradby how she was coping with being a new mother, and the pressures of the intense spotlight, Meghan said: "Thank you for asking because not many people have asked if I'm ok.

"But it's a very real thing to be going through behind the scenes."

The tour of Africa was also notable for a statement issued by Prince Harry at the end of the 10-day visit in which he accused sections of the British tabloid press of pursuing a "ruthless campaign" against his wife.

Prince Harry said some newspapers had "vilified Meghan almost daily for the past nine months" and claimed they had published "lie after lie" at Meghan's expense because she was out of public view on maternity leave following the birth of son Prince Archie.

In January 2023, Prince Harry sat down with Bradby again for a wide-ranging interview to promote his memoir, Spare.

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