Channel 5 wades into the royal rumor mill with a new two-part documentary, William & Harry: Love & Betrayal. This first instalment examines the seemingly irreparable rift between the once-inseparable princes, exploring the events that led to their very public falling out. The bond forged in the shared trauma of losing their mother has, it seems, frayed beyond repair, a development dissected here with the usual blend of royal experts, archival footage, and speculative whispers.
The documentary focuses on the accusations leveled by Harry and Meghan in their various interviews and Harry’s memoir, “Spare,” exploring how these public pronouncements have impacted their relationship with the royal family, and specifically with William. Now separated by more than just the Atlantic, the brothers’ estrangement casts a long shadow over the future of the monarchy. The documentary attempts to address the elephant in the room: can the institution survive such a public and personal schism?
This series comes on the heels of several other documentaries and specials examining the royal family’s trials and tribulations. While some may find the topic overdone, the enduring fascination with the House of Windsor suggests that there’s still an appetite for this kind of behind-the-palace-walls drama. Whether William & Harry: Love & Betrayal offers any truly fresh insights remains to be seen, but it will surely add fuel to the ongoing conversation about the monarchy’s relevance in the 21st century.
William & Harry: Love & Betrayal airs Saturday, February 1, 2025, at 21:30 on Channel 5.