Videos Throughout Prince William's Life Show Alleged Anger Issues That Reportedly Concerned His Family
Prince William allegedly has a history of being short-tempered.
B. Lenoir, Frederic Legrand - COMEO and FiledIMAGE via Shutterstock / tcha studio and sparklestroke via Canva Amid wild speculation about where Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, has been since her last public appearance in December of 2023, some people have begun questioning her relationship with her husband, Prince William. Theories of divorce and infidelity have run wild on the internet, rumors that have been further fueled thanks to resurfaced videos that supposedly show a long history of Prince William's alleged anger issues.
Prince Harry first sparked rumors of Prince William's alleged anger issues in his memoir "Spare."
Tell-all disclosures about everything from his infamous Nazi Halloween costume to his uncircumcised nether-regions made Prince Harry's memoir "Spare" an instant best seller, but no story captured people's attention quite like Harry's claim that his brother Prince William violently attacked him during a 2019 disagreement about Meghan Markle.
The harrowing allegations struck many as hard to believe, but Harry's claims also sparked a resurfacing of photos, videos and comments some believe speak to a history of violence — or at least a concerningly short temper — on the part of Prince William.
In his memoir, Duke of Sussex Prince Harry claimed Prince William's hatred of Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle culminated in a violent physical attack in 2019. Their meeting was intended to address "the whole rolling catastrophe" of the brothers' strained relationship amid the media furor over the Sussexes' departure from the Royal Family — but things quickly escalated.
Prince Harry claimed a "piping hot" William began complaining about Markle being "difficult," "rude" and "abrasive," prompting Harry to accuse him of "parrot[ing] the press narrative" about Markle.
The charge allegedly sent William into a rage that frightened Harry enough that he left the room, but William followed him around the house and then "came at me." Harry said his brother "grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and … knocked me to the floor," then commanded Harry to fight him, but he refused.
William then reportedly left the house, apologizing and asking him not to tell Markle what had happened.
Prince William and Kate Middleton's relationship has been fraught with rumors of sometimes violent disagreements.
While no relationship is perfect, as royals, the Prince and Princess of Wales' marriage is often portrayed as such. However, sources have suggested that their relationship is "not all sweetness."
In 2023, royal author Tom Quinn told Fox News that Kate and William "have terrible rows where they throw things at each other." And while Quinn described Kate as having a "Buddhist calm," he described William, on the other hand, as "a bit hotheaded."
Moments from Prince William's childhood also allege he has a violent temper.
Many of the moments people have cited seem a bit overwrought, like a much-vaunted clip of Prince William repeatedly elbowing his father King Charles II in the head as a child.
The incident seems more like a moment of childhood brattiness or ribbing than actual violence, but many feel it speaks to William's temper, especially given his reputation as bully during his childhood.
William was said to have repeatedly been in trouble as a child for shoving other kids and getting into "playground fights" — so much so his classmates nicknamed him "Billy the Basher."
Prince William also has a history of conflicts with the press and paparazzi.
Of course, it's hard to blame him for being angry about being hounded by the press since his mother Princess Diana was killed in a car crash while being chased by paparazzi. But an incident last year in which he berated a photographer for following him and Princess Kate nonetheless shows the Prince's capacity for anger.
Queen Consort Camilla Parker-Bowles has allegedly found his temper shocking.
Prince William's stepmother is said to have been stunned by her stepson's temper after joining the royal family in 2005.
According to author Robert Lacey's 2020 book "Battle of Brothers: William and Harry – The Inside Story of a Family in Tumult," Parker-Bowles confided to family and friends about "earth-shattering rows" between William and then-Prince Charles. The Queen Consort is said to have been "horrified at the ranting and raving...William had unleashed against her husband in her presence."
Of course, the discourse among Harry, William and Markle's defenders and detractors are so heated and tribal that almost anything can be construed as evidence of their villainy or blamelessness.
But the Royal Family has a reputation for not exactly having the healthiest relationships with each other, let alone their emotions. These allegations may be explosive and unseemly, but they're not exactly difficult to believe.
John Sundholm is a news and entertainment writer who covers pop culture, social justice and human interest topics.