Any hopes of an amicable reunion between Prince Harry and Prince William at the King's Coronation now lies in 'tatters' after a bombshell allegation regarding a secret £1m payment, it is claimed.
The news comes after the High Court heard that the Prince of Wales was allegedly given an undisclosed payment from Rupert Murdoch's News Group Newspapers company over phone hacking allegations, the Express reports.
However, the heir to the throne's claim which the court was told was a 'very large sum of money' was sorted in private until his brother made it public yesterday.
News of the alleged settlement was revealed on Tuesday in court documents as a three-day hearing in London involving the Duke of Sussex and actor Hugh Grant went underway.
Harry is suing News Group Newspapers (NGN) — the publisher of The Sun and the now inoperative News Of The World — over alleged unlawful information gathering at its titles.
The Duke claimed the supposed payment, which The Telegraph reports is believed to be around £1m, confirms there was a 'secret agreement' made between the Royal household and News Group Newspapers (NGN) made in part to help rehabilitate the reputation of Queen Consort Camilla.
Harry also claimed his grandmother was personally involved in the confidential pact but gave him authorisation to bring his own case against the publisher.
However, the newspaper says it understands that Prince William was 'completely unaware' of what Harry would say in his witness statement. The bombshell was dropped only 10 days before their father King Charles's coronation which has likely left their "peace hopes in tatters".
The Telegraph reported: "The revelation of the secret payment will only serve to drive a deeper wedge between them", quoting that "sources close to both the Sussexes and the Waleses... did not expect any rapprochement" between the feuding brothers for the coronation.
Meanwhile the BBC reports from its sources that "any suggestion of a cosy deal between Prince William and newspapers over hacking would be wide of the mark and that he had been vigilant about wanting to tackle it".
It was William who initially raised the issue of voicemail hacking back in 2005 with the Prince having his own battles with the press, according to the BBC.
The BBC's sources added that settlements can sometimes be something pushed by the courts, rather than something pursued by a claimant.
However, Sky's Royal correspondent Laura Bundock alleges that the Prince of Wales "chose" to settle outside of court, rather than potentially give evidence.
She reported that keeping it out of the public eye meant "private and potentially sensitive details" about William would not be "revealed".
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