Princess Diana Thought Prince Harry Was More Fit to Be King Than William, Claims Expert

Princess Diana Believed Prince Harry Would Be a Better King Than William, Claims Royal Expert

New revelations from royal insiders suggest that the late Princess Diana had a surprising opinion about the future of the British monarchy—she thought her younger son, Prince Harry, might make a better king than Prince William.

Despite William being the direct heir to the throne, Diana reportedly saw leadership qualities in Harry that she believed were more suited to the crown. These insights come from the Channel 5 documentary William & Harry: Princes At War, where royal expert Robert Jobson revealed that Diana had a secret nickname for Harry: “GKH,” which stood for Good King Harry.

"She used to refer to Harry as GKH because she thought he'd probably be better equipped for the role in the future than William," said Jobson during the program.

Veteran broadcaster Jeremy Paxman also contributed to the documentary, recalling a personal conversation with Diana. He said she told him that William had confessed he didn't really want to be King. In response, Harry jokingly said, “If you don’t want the job, I’ll have it.”

These comments reflect Diana’s deep understanding of her sons’ personalities and the burdens that come with royal duty. In her well-known 1995 Panorama interview, Diana was asked whether William, who was just 13 at the time, should eventually take on the role of King. She responded cautiously, saying it would be unfair to place such a weighty responsibility on someone so young.

“Well, then you have to see that William's very young at the moment, so do you want a burden like that to be put on his shoulders at such an age. So I can't answer that question,” Diana had said.

Princess Diana passed away tragically on August 31, 1997, at just 36 years old. But even decades after her passing, her perspectives on her sons—and the royal family at large—continue to fascinate the public. As the monarchy evolves and Prince William steps closer to his destiny, these reflections from Diana offer rare emotional insight into how a mother viewed the weight of royal duty. Her belief in Harry’s potential continues to add depth to the ongoing discussion about the future of the royal family.