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Sibling rivalry is normal; even the royal family isn’t immune, as William, Prince of Wales, and his younger brother, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, have been at odds since 2016, when Harry began dating his now-wife, Meghan Markle. Publicly, the two appear estranged, but as it turns out, William is also distant with another sibling — a step-sibling, to be exact. Tom Parker Bowles, son of now-Queen Camilla, is a British food writer and critic who officially joined the royal family when his mother wed now-King Charles III in 2005. At that wedding, the stepbrothers were seen engaging with each other as brothers would, but reports indicate that this family did not have the picture-perfect blend one might have assumed they would. According to the Daily Beast, William has gone as far as saying he will not attend the royal family’s 2024 Christmas celebrations if stepbrother Tom is on the invite list.
It comes as no surprise that the prince’s relationship with Tom might be strained, as William’s relationship with Camilla originated amid great tension due to Charles and Camilla’s infamous affair. After all, Charles was still married to William’s mother, Princess Diana, whom both William and brother Harry famously adored.
Blending the family
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When King Charles III was preparing to marry his longtime lover, Camilla Parker Bowles, Prince William and Prince Harry asked their father not to marry Camilla, according to People. However, the king did not give in to the boys’ wishes and the new marriage did not guarantee a perfect bond between the princes and their new step-siblings. As time passed, William came to terms with his father’s decision, according to the Daily Beast, but was always “nervous by Tom’s somewhat louche lifestyle.” (According to the Daily Mail, in his younger days, Tom was known for partying.)
In 2012, when discussing his cookbook, “Let’s Eat: Recipes from My Kitchen Notebook,” Tom revealed to The Telegraph that he doesn’t see his stepbrothers often. “As for William and Harry, they’ve got very busy lives so our paths tend to cross occasionally if I’m visiting my mum at Clarence House,” he told the outlet. Despite not having the closest relationship, there have been rare moments where William and Tom have seen eye-to-eye, including once in 2023 when the food critic denounced Harry’s claims that Camilla’s relationship with King Charles was strategic, according to Express. Royal expert Kinsey Schofield told the outlet William wanted to support his stepbrother’s claims, but could not because of his royal status. “I love that Tom spoke out about this because William would like to. He’s fought for a change in strategy and he’s been shut down,” Schofield said.
Working with what you’ve got
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British food critic Tom Parker Bowles seemingly fully understands where he stands with his stepbrothers, Prince William and Prince Harry, as he does not interfere with their familial matters, specifically their brotherly feud, as he told British Vogue. “You just want everyone to be happy,” he said.
Queen Camilla’s son does not seem to mind the royal distance and understands that sometimes, this is just how blending a family works, he told People. “We are married in, we are not the royal family — I’ve never for one second said that,” he explained. “I find everyone incredibly nice and friendly and we’ve known them all for a long time.” Tom seemingly also thinks highly of Prince William’s wife, Kate Middleton, as he told The Telegraph in 2012, “Kate is lovely; she has impeccable manners and is sweet and graceful — everything we could hope for in a princess.”
Kate reportedly helped William ease the existing tension between him and Camilla, according to a close friend of the Parker Bowles family who spoke to Us Weekly. “William and Harry had always distrusted Camilla and felt resentment toward her because of their devotion to their mother…” said the source. “It was really Kate who warmed William to Camilla. “She’s never been dismissive of Camilla and always treated her with kindness.” Despite the distance with his stepbrothers, Tom adores his mother’s relationship with King Charles III, per People, and spends time with her whenever he can.
