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But they stressed that William, 38, was stunned by Harry’s bombshell television interview, adding: “His head is all over the place on it.” The latest rebuttals of Harry and wife Meghan’s outpourings to US chat show queen Oprah came from aides and friends to both brothers.

One said Harry’s comments saying William was “trapped” and “my brother can’t leave that system but I have” were “way off the mark”.

The source told The Sunday Times that with the Queen, 95 next month, William is unswerving in his commitment to the Royal Family.

The Duke of Cambridge admits his challenge “occupies a lot of thinking space” but is determined to ­modernise the institution for the next 20 years.

The source said: “He has a path set for him and he’s completely accepting of his role. He is very much his grandmother’s grandson in respect of duty and service.”

The insiders say 36-year-old Harry’s relationship with his brother is “still raw” following the CBS ­interview, which was screened by ITV in the UK. One said: “Once he got over the anger of how things ­happened, he was left with the absence of his brother.

“They shared everything about their lives – an office, a foundation, meetings together most days and there was a lot of fun along the way. He’ll miss it for ever.”

The friend said William “definitely feels the pressure now it’s all on him. His future looks different because of his brother’s choices. It’s not easy.”

Ahead of celebrating his 10th ­wedding anniversary next month, the Duke is said to rely heavily on wife Catherine, 39, and draws on the joys of life with children George, seven, Charlotte, five, and Louis, two.

The friend said: “They’ve got a solid relationship and she gives him confidence. There’s no jealousy, no friction. They are happy for each ­other’s successes. Marriage maketh the man. Catherine’s groundedness has been the critical anchor. And where his relationship with the media was once all fury and frustration, he now understands using the power of ­modern media, so the public feels they’re getting enough access.”

The source added: “For years, the battles around privacy and paparazzi intrusion were all-consuming. Could we build a credible plan allowing them a family life while slowly increasing the profile of official life?

“It took years to get there, but the ­success of that plan allowed him to be ­confident and content in his role.

“He’s not worried about his kids’ privacy anymore and he has been able to be the kind of dad he wants to be.”

Praise for William follows two weeks of the fallout from Harry and Meghan’s two-hour chat with Oprah to put their side of how they left royal life and the UK behind.

One of the most explosive claims was that a Royal Family member – but not the Queen or Prince Philip – questioned Harry about how dark Archie’s skin would be.

It prompted William, who campaigns against racism in football, to make a rare, unplanned defence during a public ­engagement, saying: “We are very much not a racist family.”

Sources said William was a peacemaker in the build-up to Harry and Meghan’s ­fairy-tale Windsor wedding in 2018.

One said: “Every time there was a drama, or a member of staff was on the verge of ­quitting, William would try to sort it out.”

But they said the Duke was angry when his brother and sister-in-law launched their Sussex Royal ­website, taking a dig at the Queen’s rights of ownership to the prefix “Royal”, adding: “He felt they’d blindsided the Queen in such an insulting and ­disrespectful way.”

And, as a result, William has grown closer to father Charles, 72, and grandmother the Queen.

The insider added: “Part of William’s evolution is that as he has become closer to his father, he sees their similarities. The rift with Harry has also brought them closer.”

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