Prince Harry and Prince William’s Drama Is ‘Creating Tension When It Comes to Celebrating’ Princess Diana

Prince Harry has older brother Prince William in a fury as he and his American-born wife, Meghan Markle, try to turn the actress into a new version of the battling brothers’ late mom, Princess Diana, palace insiders exclusively tell In Touch.

Sources say William, 41, is hating his brother and sister-in-law like never before over what he sees as an attempt by Harry, 39, and Meghan, 42, to rebrand the Duchess of Sussex as the new Diana.

Future king William believes his wife, Kate Middleton, 42, actually fits the image of his mother, who tragically died at 36 in a 1997 Paris car crash after being dubbed the “People’s Princess” for her love of regular folk and her charity works. William sees Meghan as a poser and wannabe, says a courtier.

“William doesn’t want to deprive Harry of the right to celebrate their mother’s legacy. What bothers him is Harry’s trying to parade Meghan around as the modern-day version of Diana,” says another royal insider. “He finds that beyond tasteless, not only to him but also to Kate, who in William’s eyes is the one that’s actually a whole lot more like Diana than Meghan will ever be.”

Harry and Meghan reportedly triggered a serious stir at Buckingham Palace with their whirlwind trip to Nigeria that included fancy receptions along with visits to schools and charities. The visit wasn’t sanctioned by the royal family.

“Harry hasn’t consulted with William about these trips abroad and future plans he and Meghan have in the works to celebrate Diana’s life and legacy,” says the insider. “This ugliness with the Sussexes is now creating tension when it comes to celebrating their mother’s legacy. William finds it so sickening Harry’s stooping to this to upstage his royal kin.”

Adds the source, “William would love to do something to stop him from going ahead, but it’s not as though he can really speak about it with Charles and Camilla since Diana became estranged from the royals after her divorce. The king and his consort are caught in the middle, so he’s feeling pretty alone on this.”

Adding insult to injury, at least for William, Harry’s duchess made headlines for flaunting Princess Diana’s crown jewels during their faux-royal tour, sources say.

The former TV game show beauty and Suits star stirred talk when she wore a delicate diamond cross, said to have belonged to the late Princess of Wales, during a reception for military families in the West African country.

“This is by no means the first time Meghan has worn Diana’s jewelry,” notes the insider. “She’s got her diamond tennis bracelet, earrings that belonged to her, even her engagement ring has diamonds on it that belonged to Diana.

“And it makes William’s blood run cold to think of her wearing his precious mother’s jewelry. He can’t stand Meghan and he blames her for the loss of his brother. He will never forgive her for the pain and suffering she’s caused them with all the drama she’s stirred up.”

William also is fuming because he feels “Meghan’s nothing like his mother,” adds the insider. “Diana was so humble and didn’t have a self-promoting bone in her body. He bristles at the idea of Meghan being held up as this modern-day Diana.”

But to hotheaded Harry, Meghan “does remind him of his mother, and he doesn’t think anyone, including his brother, has a right to condemn him for that,” spills the source. “All he and Meghan are trying to do is honor Diana and her legacy, and he hopes William will get down off his high horse and join them.”

But to William, “they broke the mold when they made Diana, and to suggest that someone could ever take her place is infuriating. Every time he thinks he’s seen the worst from Harry, there seems to be a new low. Diana’s legacy is sacred — turning it into some sort of competition is reprehensible.”