LONDON (AP) – When Prince Philip’s funeral takes place on Saturday, it will be more than a focal point for national mourning. Many will also be on the lookout for any signs of reconciliation between Prince Harry and the royal family, especially with his older brother, Prince William.
It will be the first time Harry has met face to face with the royal family since he and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, left royal duties in March last year and moved to California with their young son, Archie.
While the departure caused a huge break in the monarchy, family relations made a new dive last month, when Harry and Meghan gave a candid interview with the host of the American show Oprah Winfrey. Among other revelations, Harry confirmed rumors that he and his brother had broken up, saying that “the relationship is’ space ‘right now'” – although he added that “time heals all things, hopefully”.
Harry also told Winfrey that his father, the heir to the throne, Prince Charles, had not accepted his calls for a while.
And the couple dropped a bomb revealing that an unnamed member of the royal family had expressed concern about “how dark” their child’s skin color might be due to Meghan’s biracial legacy. A few days after the explosive allegations of racism were broadcast, William fired back, telling reporters that his “is not a racist family.”
Despite the tensions, Saturday’s funeral will surely remind the brothers of their common grief at another royal funeral more than two decades ago – when, as young boys, they both walked behind their mother’s coffin, Princess Diana , in 1997.
On Saturday, Harry, 36, and William, 38, are expected to join other family members and walk behind their grandfather’s coffin as the funeral procession makes its way through. Windsor Castle.
Many observers believe that Philip’s funeral will provide an ideal opportunity for the “Firm” to show a united front to the world and for the royal brothers to calm tensions. Philip, who had been married to Queen Elizabeth II for more than seven decades, died last week at the age of 99.
“It simply came to our notice then. They are currently sharing the grief over the death of their grandfather, “the former prime minister John Major, who was appointed guardian of the princes after Diana’s death, told the BBC this week. “I very much hope that it is possible to remedy any rupture that may exist.”
But Angela Levin, Harry’s biographer, said it would be inappropriate for family members to talk about their personal problems in the run-up to the funeral, and there may be no time for Harry to rush back to the United States.
“I absolutely think it would have been wrong for them to take care of themselves before the funeral. And I think it’s wrong to imagine that they will pour out their hearts and hug each other when so much has happened this year and William has had to take on a lot more responsibilities, “she told AP.
Penny Junor, another royal biographer, believes that the damage caused by the Winfrey interview – especially the accusations of racism, which he called “unforgivable” – would be very difficult to recover.
“(Harry) was disrespectful to his father. He spoke on a private issue on a global stage. There is a lot to solve “, said Junor. Both brothers are “very stubborn people,” she added, and “William will have been very hurt and upset with his brother for the interview.”
Harry arrived in the UK on Monday and is in quarantine, but may attend the funeral in accordance with government rules that make exceptions for such occasions. Meghan, who is pregnant with her second child, was advised by her doctor not to make the long trip, officials said.
Siblings have had contrasting roles and personalities since birth, although in recent years these differences have become increasingly apparent.
As the younger brother of a future king – the so-called “reserve” for the heir – Harry had far fewer responsibilities and a reputation as a party prince before serving in the army and settling in the 1930s. He found success and enjoyed popularity in the UK with the Invictus Games, the sporting event he founded for disabled and wounded military members.
However, his place in the monarchy was further diminished with the birth of William’s three children, who struck him to the sixth line of the throne.
It was clear from at least 2019 that Harry wanted a break from the constraints of the monarchy to create his own narrative. That year, Harry and Meghan broke up with the Royal Foundation, originally established as a charitable association of brothers, so that they could have their own platform.
The separate statements of the princes this week in tribute to Philip reflected their different personalities and styles. While William said he and his wife Kate would “continue to do what (Philip) would have wanted and support the Queen for years to come,” Harry’s tone was much more informal and lighter.
The younger brother praised Philip for being “genuine himself” and thanked him for “his dedication to his grandmother.” He also wrote: “While I could go on, I know that right now he would tell us all, beer in hand, ‘Oh, go on with this.'”
However, Levin and Junor said that the brothers enjoyed an incredibly close bond from childhood and they both hoped that the time would come to reconcile their differences.
“Harry told me when I was interviewing him for my biography, he told me that William is the only person he can trust,” he said. “He felt if he went and met people, he didn’t know if he liked it for what it was, rather than for who it was. But he and William could discuss anything. ”
Historian Ed Owens, who wrote “The Family Firm: Monarchy, Mass Media and the British Public 1932-1953” about the royal family’s public relations strategy in the last century, agreed that it was “too early” for reconciliation. royal.
“I don’t think there will be any big family reunions or a return to some kind of normalcy, some kind of pre-Megxit, soon,” he said.
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Associated Press Danica Kirka contributed to this report.
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