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The tensions between Princes William and Harry seem more intense than ever. On Wednesday, August 28, the two brothers saw each other for the first time in a year at the funeral of their uncle, Lord Robert Fellowes. The ceremony, held at St. Mary’s Church in Snettisham, Norfolk, was a restrained tribute to the former British courtier, who died on July 29 at the age of 82. Lord Fellowes, husband of Lady Jane Spencer, Princess Diana’s older sister, had held the prestigious post of Private Secretary to Queen Elizabeth II from 1990 to 1999.
The two princes’ presence at this family event had been uncertain. This was due in part to security concerns for Prince Harry. He now lives in California. In the end, both made the trip. Yet, despite the significance of the event, the reunion was marked by a palpable distance. Arriving quietly at the church, William and Harry sat apart, without exchanging a word, according to those present.
This frostiness between the two brothers is nothing new. Their relationship began to deteriorate in 2016. Prince William reportedly expressed doubts about how quickly the relationship was moving. He was referring to the one between Harry and Meghan Markle. Tensions became public in 2020, when Harry and Meghan announced they were stepping back from royal duties, a landmark moment in the recent history of the British monarchy.
Since then, opportunities to reconnect have been rare and often marked by a lack of communication. In 2022, at Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, the two brothers had already shown signs of division. They took care not to appear together. This year, at their father King Charles III’s coronation, observers noted their lack of contact. Indeed, this distance between them had already been noticed before.
The publication of Prince Harry’s memoir, Spare, in January 2023 only made matters worse. In the book, Harry paints an unflattering portrait of his older brother, describing him as controlling and angry. These revelations, added to the accusations made against the royal family in the Netflix documentary series Harry & Meghan in 2022, deeply affected relations between the two princes.
Lord Fellowes’ funeral, which was supposed to bring the family together in a moment of reflection, therefore did not ease the tensions. The lack of dialogue between William and Harry leaves little hope for an imminent reconciliation. Their relationship seems more than ever frozen in a chill that neither time nor family events can dispel.