Royal sibling rivalries that have captured the most attention

The bond between siblings can neither be measured nor be broken. However, there ought to be rifts and conflicts that can leave a dent in not just the relationship between the siblings, but also bring upon changes in the family dynamics. Even when it comes to the British Royal Family, sibling rivalry is something that has come to light several times in the past. Whether it was several centuries ago or in the recent past, a tense sibling relationship has become a royal tradition.

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Remembered as one of the most tense sibling relationships in the history of British Monarchy, Queen Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots were cousins, who never got around reconciling with each other. While Queen Mary inherited Scotland’s throne after the death of her father, she led a very tumultuous life thereafter. The two sisters had never met in person, however, their decade’s long rivalry ended with Mary’s beheading, an order issued by Queen Elizabeth I herself.

One of the biggest sibling rivalry is considered to be between King George VI and King Edward VIII, which began with the latter's abdication of the throne and continued with the revelation of his ties with the Nazi regime. King Edward VIII had fallen in love and married a two time American divorcee, Wallis Simpson, which led to a stir in the British royal family. It not only changed the entire line of the British succession, but also left King George VI feeling bitter and choiceless.

While their sisterhood is something that is still remembered till date, the bond between Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret was somewhat complex. Being the Queen of England, Elizabeth II had to demand a lot of sacrifices from her only sister, which although heart-wrenching was something she thought was necessary. Princess Margaret is known as the royal rebel, which has its own unique reasons. But since her sister was the face of the British Royalty, she went against her own choices, which made her feel low and at times underappreciated.

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With their parent's separation and their mother's untimely death, surely the sibling duo, Prince William and Prince Harry had a difficult time growing up. This helped the two brothers share a beautiful bond with each other and also helped each other get through every thick and thin. But following the big step back from the royal duties, Harry and William have reportedly grown distant.

According to the historian and author of the new book, "Battle of Brothers: The Inside Story of a Family in Tumult", Robert Lacey describes their relationship by saying, “Fundamental to the whole saga is the clash of love versus duty.”

However, recently, the two have been spotted together at different events. The last they were seen together was on their late mother's 60th birthday. The duo unveiled their mother's statue in the gardens of Kensington Palace.

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