Prince William 'keeping Kate Middleton and kids away' from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

Prince William is "keeping his family away" from his brother due to a long-standing feud, a royal expert says.

Insider info from Princess Diana's former butler, Paul Burrell, suggests that the doors of Adelaide Cottage are "firmly shut" for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle . The rift between the Royal siblings has been simmering for years, but it escalated following bombshell allegations in Harry's tell-all book, Spare.

In the memoir, Harry alleges a physical altercation with William during a dispute about Meghan, which resulted in Harry tumbling over a dog bowl.

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Following the release of Spare, after the Sussexes' dramatic exit from Royal duties and their move to Montecito, California, Burrell claims a reunion is off the cards, reports the Express . In a chat with Closer magazine, he revealed: "Make no mistake, William is keeping Kate and his family well away from Meghan and Harry. The door of Adelaide Cottage is shut - and there is no way in for Harry and Meghan. William knows that Harry can't be trusted and doesn't want any more upset in his family."

Burrell warns that William would "explode" if Harry were to criticize Princess Kate. He further comments that the Prince of Wales, aged 42, will not tolerate "won't take any more cheap shots from across the Atlantic".

According to the ex-servant, William now regards his brother and sister-in-law as mere "background noise". An insider claims William, who is said to have assumed Prince Phillip's mantle as the family's disciplinarian, ensures the royals stay in line.

A source revealed to the Daily Beast that William has imposed an "absolute ban on Harry returning in any way, shape or form to the family fold". They elaborated: "There is a sense that William has stepped into the Prince Philip role. Philip ruled the family with a rod of iron. Now William is calling the shots when it comes to family discipline... He can be scary!"