Prince Harry reportedly became frustrated when members of the Royal Family urged him not to rush his relationship with Meghan Markle, according to royal correspondent Simon Vigar, who says the Duke of Sussex also worried that the pressures of royal life might prevent him from finding a long-term partner.
Vigar made the claims during an interview with GB News ahead of the publication of his new book, The Four Wives of Windsor, which is scheduled for release on 30 July.
According to Vigar, Harry and Meghan initially enjoyed several months of relative privacy before intense media attention surrounded their relationship, making it difficult for them to experience what he described as a more conventional courtship.
Simon Vigar Says Harry Resented Advice to Slow Down
Vigar, who has covered the Royal Family since 1997, said Harry and Meghan spent time together in London, Toronto and Africa before their relationship became widely known.
He argued that the couple's limited period of privacy contributed to Harry's frustration when relatives reportedly advised him not to rush into marriage.
'That's obviously part of Harry's resentment, is that William had that vaguely normal relationship with university, which Harry never had, and he just prickled and bristled when people in his own family were telling him not to rush it,' Vigar told GB News.
According to Vigar, Harry viewed comparisons with Prince William's relationship as unfair because the Prince of Wales had several years to build his relationship with Catherine Middleton before it came under sustained public scrutiny.
Prince William met Catherine at the University of St Andrews in 2001, and the couple publicly acknowledged their relationship several years later after dating largely out of the spotlight.
Vigar also claimed Harry responded by pointing out that his older brother already had an established family life.
'I completely get that, 'It's all right for you to say that, you've got a wife and three kids!' Vigar said.
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Vigar also claimed Harry had previously expressed concerns about whether someone would be willing to marry into the Royal Family given the public attention that accompanied his position.
'He told me that the Royal Family genuinely worried 10 years ago or so, 'Would he ever find someone who really wanted to marry him with all the baggage that goes with him?' Vigar said.
'And then he found Meghan, and everything went into warp speed.'
The comments reflect Vigar's personal recollection of conversations with Harry and have not been independently verified.
Harry has previously spoken publicly about the pressures of growing up within the Royal Family, including in his memoir Spare, where he discussed media intrusion, his relationship with his family and the challenges of life as the younger son of the future king.
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Vigar's comments coincide with the release of The Four Wives of Windsor, which examines the lives of Diana, Princess of Wales; Queen Camilla; Catherine, Princess of Wales; and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.
According to publisher information, the book draws on Vigar's decades covering the monarchy, including overseas tours, royal engagements and interviews with senior members of the Royal Family.
The publisher also notes that Vigar has interviewed Prince Harry and was among the journalists invited to cover Queen Elizabeth II's state funeral.
Neither Buckingham Palace nor representatives for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have publicly commented on Vigar's latest claims.
The book is scheduled to be published on 30 July.
