“The queen is insisting that the royals handle the matter privately,” the insider says, adding that Queen Elizabeth II “thinks that retaliating will only add fuel to the fire and make the situation worse.”

The Duke of Cambridge, 38, however, would rather speak out and defend the royal family following Harry’s allegations of racism within The Firm and claims that there was a lack of support for his wife, Meghan Markle, while the couple lived in the U.K.

“William is struggling to hold back,” the source adds. “He wants to get his side out there.”

The insider notes that William’s reasoning for wanting to share his side of the story is “firstly to protect [his wife] Kate [Middleton]” against Meghan’s claims that Duchess Kate, 39, made her cry over a bridesmaid dress dispute ahead of her and Harry’s May 2018 wedding. He also was to “clear the racial allegations,” the source says.

William and Harry, 36, have had a strained relationship for years and the tension has worsened following the Duke of Sussex’s CBS sit-down earlier this month. During the interview, Harry and Meghan, 39, spoke about their issues with the royal family, claiming racism toward the former Suits actress played a part in their step back as senior royals and relocation to the U.S. in early 2020.

The former military pilot also spoke about William directly, saying, “I love William to bits. We’ve been through hell together, and we have a shared experience, but we are on different paths.”

Harry also claimed that his brother is “trapped” by his royal duties. “My brother can’t leave that system,” he said. “I can’t speak for him. But with that relationship and that control and the fear by the U.K. tabloids, it’s a toxic environment. But I will always be there for him. I will always be there for my family. And as I said, I’ve tried to help them to see what has happened.”

A source previously told Us that William and Kate were in “total shock over hearing what Meghan and Harry said.” A second source said that the future king is “fuming” over his brother’s comments and “absolutely does not support speaking out against the crown.”

William addressed the couple’s racism allegations on March 11, telling Sky News, “We’re very much not a racist family.”

Amid the tell-all fallout, a third source told Us that the Duchess of Cambridge, who shares Prince George, 7, Princess Charlotte, 5, and Prince Louis, 2, with William, has been her husband’s rock.

“They lean on each other for support during difficult times and will talk through their problems,” the insider said earlier this month. “She’s been her husband’s pillar of strength throughout this whole ordeal.”

The brothers are set to reunite on June 1 for the unveiling of a statue of their late mother, Princess Diana, at Kensington Palace. The reunion will be the first time that Harry, who shares 22-month-old son, Archie, with Meghan, will be back in the U.K. in more than a year.

This story originally appeared on: US Magazine - Author:Johnni Macke