Prince William's relationship with Kate Middleton became 'stronger' after rift with brother Harry

Prince William's ongoing feud with his brother Prince Harry has at least one upside, which is that it brought him closer to his wife Kate Middleton.

A source told People magazine, "In the last 18 months he (William) hasn't had Harry as his rock. The disintegration of that relationship has actually brought him and Kate even stronger together. She really is his rock."

Another friend added, "If things are right (in a marriage), which they are with them, your crutch to lean on is your partner. There is an inevitability about that."

Royal experts are speculating multiple reasons behind the feud between the royal siblings. Some say it's a classic case of differences between "the heir and the spare," while others say it started due to William's dislike of his brother's wife Meghan Markle. Other reports say the rift started when the Duke of Cambridge decided to split his and Kate's office from Harry and Meghan's due to the bullying complaints against his sister-in-law.

Meanwhile, Harry has said on two occasions that he is on "different paths" from his brother, but that he still holds a lot of "love" for him. Nonetheless, his claims in his interview with Oprah Winfrey in March that William was "trapped" within the royal system reportedly left the future King furious at his younger brother.

Omid Scobie, co-author of "Finding Freedom," an unauthorised biography of Harry and Meghan detailing their exit from the royal family, said earlier this month that no senior member of the royal family has stepped in to try and heal the rift between William and Harry. In an appearance on ITV's This Morning, Scobie was asked by hosts Rochelle Humes and Alison Hammond if there had been any breakthrough in the brothers' fragile relationship, to which he replied that the "family fractures" were far from fixed.

"I wish there was a.. you know, we have all experienced family squabbles and so on, but there is always a senior member of the family who clips you round the ear and pulls you all together and says talk!" Scobie said.

"And I haven't heard that from any source connected to the family that there has been someone who has played that role. I'm sure if Diana was here today, that's exactly what she would do. But I've certainly not heard that from any of the others," he added.

Scobie also noted that the travel restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic are making it harder for the brothers to repair their relationship, as they have had little opportunity to meet up. They have met only twice for short durations since Harry's exit as a senior royal- the first time at their grandfather Prince Philip's funeral in April this year, and the second time at the unveiling of their mother Princess Diana's statue at Kensington Palace in July.