Prince Harry’s ‘betrayal’ leaves William ‘smouldering’ as Diana’s thirtieth anniversary nears
Next year marks the 30th anniversary of Princess Diana’s death, and it’s sure to be an emotional time for her two sons – but will Prince William and Prince Harry end their royal estrangement?
Prince William and Prince Harry are not known to have spoken since 2022(Image: Chris Jackson, Getty Images)
Next year will mark the 30th anniversary of Princess Diana’s passing, and it’s bound to be a deeply emotional period for her two sons. Several commemorative events are in the pipeline, but there’s no word yet on whether Prince William and Prince Harry will reunite to honour their mother’s memory, or if their ongoing feud will persist.
“Either scenario will be a drama,” comments former BBC Royal correspondent Jennie Bond. In an article for the i newspaper, she suggests that while much of Harry’s youthful rage has subsided, “the anger smouldering inside William – who is known to be stubborn – could be much harder to extinguish.”
William felt “betrayed” after Harry disclosed family secrets in his explosive memoir Spare, says Jennie, and it would be a “big ask” for Harry to expect his family to forgive and forget.
There has certainly been some warming of relations between Harry and his father. The wayward prince met with King Charles and his stepmother Queen Camilla at Highgrove in Gloucestershire in July, and reportedly plans to return to the UK “more and more” over the next year.
He’s expected to be back for a week in September to fulfil duties during the annual WellChild Awards, a UK charity he has patronised since 2007. A source close to the prince told The Times that the royal “wants more of a foothold” in the UK, adding that he “always loves” to see his family.
The two brothers and their wives were once inseparable(Image: Chris Jackson, Getty Images)
Harry was feeling “buoyed, very happy, and really energised” after the Highgrove reunion. However, while Harry, his wife Meghan and their children had a meeting with the King and Queen Camilla at Highgrove, William and Kate were almost 90 miles away at a charity polo match in Windsor.
The brothers are not known to have spoken since the funeral of their late grandmother, the Queen, in September 2022.
Since then, the Prince and Princess of Wales have focused entirely on balancing their royal duties with raising their three children – while Kate has also faced a cancer diagnosis, treatment, and is now in remission.
Harry’s mood is said to have been buoyed after his meeting with the King and Queen(Image: ISABEL INFANTES, POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Jennie also told the Mirror: “William, as far as we can see, seems set on concentrating on his own family and his work without the angst of dealing with his rift with Harry.
“But, if Harry does start to come to the UK more often and to see their father, it’s going to become increasingly hard for William to ignore the situation.
“Could Catherine perhaps act as peacemaker? Well, maybe. But only if she is satisfied that it is something William wants. At this stage, there is absolutely no indication that this is the case. However, circumstances and feelings can change with time and so, as I always say, ‘never say never’.”
And while Harry is hoping for a public reunion with his father at next year’s Invictus Games, many believe it could push the King into a difficult position when it comes to his still-warring sons.
