"The calendar is treated almost like a matter of state": Tension brews as Prince Harry plans overseas trip amid Prince William’s South America tour

Prince Harry and Prince William (Image via Getty)
Prince Harry and Prince William (Image via Getty)

The tension between the royal brothers, Prince William and Prince Harry, continues to grow as the younger brother announced an international trip. According to an exclusive from Radar Online, the royal insiders have termed Prince Harry's decision to go on an overseas trip as Prince William just arrived in Brazil for his Earthshot Prize tour.

The Duke of Sussex's visit to Canada to mark Remembrance overlaps with Prince William's five-day schedule. One source said that the former's decision to plan a trip while William is in Brazil is "brazen and deliberate."

Another royal source told Radar Online:

"It's come across as Harry deliberately picking a fight. Announcing an overlapping overseas trip just as William landed feels like a pointed move. In royal terms, clashing schedules are a serious breach, the calendar is treated almost like a matter of state."

Another source also mentioned that the dates of Harry's trip are not a coincidence, since Prince Harry's visit to Brazil had been planned days before. In their words:

"It's difficult to see this as a coincidence. Harry would've known William's tour dates well in advance – they've been locked in for ages. Whether he meant to or not, the timing signals that he's doing things entirely on his own terms and won't be managed by the Palace."

Prince Harry steals the spotlight from Prince William's Earthshot Prize tour

Prince Harry and Prince William always have the media's attention no matter where they go, and this week, the spotlight was supposed to be on Prince William's South America tour. However, with Prince Harry's last-minute overseas trip, the media do not know who to focus on.

While Prince William was in Rio De Janeiro on Monday, taking photographs with school children, and playing beach volleyball. Prince Harry is in Toronto visiting military charities, as well as visiting a veteran healthcare center.

A former royal aide told Radar Online that Prince Harry's decision to fly to Canada for Remembrance hit Prince William's team "like a bomb." They added:

"This week was meant to belong to William – it was a major spotlight for the Earthshot project... But almost as soon as he started his first event, the focus swung straight to Harry. You can guess the reaction – people were livid."

Furthermore, Harry's tour will begin on Wednesday (November 5). It will include a lunch with the True Patriot Love Foundation, a meeting at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre's Veterans Centre, as well as an evening gala with the Halo Trust.

Regarding the overlapping schedules and dates, a palace observer said to Radar Online:

"The optics are hard to ignore... One brother is officially representing the monarchy overseas, while the other is running a similar tour independently. It muddles the distinction between sanctioned royal duty and private initiative – exactly the kind of confusion the Palace wants to prevent."

On the other hand, Prince Harry's spokesperson explained that the overseas visit is not an attempt at one-upping the Prince of Wales, but it had already been planned a year prior. Additionally, the dates were not decided by the Duke of Sussex himself, but by the charity he is visiting.

In their words:

"The events were planned nearly a year ago. The date of the main event, the dinner, is set by the charity, not Prince Harry. The period of Remembrance traditionally extends from 1–11 November and has done for over a century. He can't choose to move those dates."

They added:

"We are always guided, as to when we can announce trips like this, by the advice given to us by his private security advisers and the event's security team. The visit, months in the planning, marks a return to a city that has a special place in the Duke's heart, having hosted the Invictus Games back in 2017."

Lastly, another source concluded by saying:

"This isn't really a question of blame, it's a matter of respect. Moves like this make it almost impossible for William and Harry to find any common ground again."

Prince Harry's Canada trip overlapping with Prince William's Brazil tour has reignited talk of tension between the brothers. While royal insiders see the timing as deliberate, Harry's team insists the visit was planned long ago. Regardless, the clash has once again highlighted the growing divide within the royal family.

Edited by Benidamika Jones Latam