On September 8, Prince Harry attended a reception ahead of the 2025 WellChild Awards, where he serves as patron of the U.K. charity supporting seriously ill children.
During the event, the Duke of Sussex, 40, shared a lighthearted exchange with award recipient Declan Bitmead, 17.
When Harry asked Declan about his family, the teen mentioned having a younger brother. “Does he drive you mad?” Harry asked, before hearing that the two actually get along. With a laugh, the Duke responded, “You know what, siblings.”
After learning that Declan and his brother attend the same school, Harry added, “That sometimes makes it more challenging.”
A Glimpse Back at Harry’s Own School Days
Harry’s comments drew parallels to his own experiences, which he detailed in his 2023 memoir Spare. Reflecting on his time at Eton College, where Prince William was already enrolled when Harry arrived in 1998, he recalled, “Willy had told me to pretend I didn’t know him. For the last two years, he explained, Eton had been his sanctuary. No kid brother tagging along, pestering him with questions, pushing up on his social circle. He was forging his own life, and he wasn’t willing to give that up.”
Harry continued, “None of which was all that new. Willy always hated it when anyone made the mistake of thinking of us as a package deal… And now, to attend the same school was pure murder.”
