The sixth and final season of Netflix’s The Crown chose to play into the long-lasting rumors about William and Harry’s relationship.

The Crown‘s sixth and final season plays into the real-life rumors surrounding brothers, Prince William and Prince Harry. Netflix’s incredibly popular historical drama details the life and reign of the late Queen Elizabeth II all the way from the start of her reign to the contemporary era, ending in 2005. The final episodes of The Crown pass the spotlight to other royal family members as well, including Princess Diana, Prince Charles, and Prince Williams.

Focusing on Prince Charles and Prince Williams opened The Crown up to exploring the recent scandals associated with the brothers. For example, the show turned the real-life event of Prince Harry wearing a Nazi costume to a party into a plot point for its latest season. The Crown‘s final season also took the opportunity to another real-life hot topic — the years-long rumors that have surrounded the status of Prince William and Prince Harry’s relationship.

For years, there have been rumors swirling that Prince Harry and Prince William are feuding. In February 2019, a TLC documentary called Kate vs. Meghan: Princesses at War? featured a royal reporter who alleged that William was very concerned about Harry and Meghan’s relationship moving quickly. The reporter stated that when William expressed his concerns, Harry saw it as criticism and was upset about his brother not being behind his marriage. It is reported that this was the catalyst for the rift in the brothers’ relationship.

After the documentary was released, the rumors continued. The public took note of things like William and Harry not conversing with each other at family affairs, like Easter Service, and how Meghan and Harry broke away from the charity they shared with Kate and William. In October 2019, the rumors seemed to be officially confirmed by Harry, himself. In ITV’s documentary, Harry & Meghan: An African Journey, Harry explained that part of his job and being a part of the royal family is being under pressure, and that causes division to arise. He said that most things in the press are created out of nothing, but as brothers, they have good days and bad days.

In March 2021, Meghan and Harry had a tell-all interview with Oprah, where Harry confirmed that he and his brother were giving each other space. When Harry published his novel, Spare, in 2023, he accused William of physically attacking him during a fight about Meghan. Since the release of the book, it has been reported by multiple sources, including US Weekly, that William doesn’t feel his brother can be trusted and makes no effort to talk to him anymore.

How The Crown Sets Up Harry vs William In Season 6

The Crown did not shy away from addressing these rumors in season 6, as the show features Harry and William fighting quite a bit throughout its final season. They are shown getting into an argument about William giving their father his blessing to marry Camilla Parker, with Harry getting upset at how fast William “caved“. The Crown also shows Harry accusing William of stabbing him in the back following the real-life incident of him being pictured wearing a Nazi uniform. The show also foreshadows Harry’s exile, with the Queen urging William to be kind to his brother, as it’s harder being number two than number one because the system protects number one.