The relationship between the two British princes is said to have broken down after Harry married Meghan Markle. Many experts believe that if Princess Diana were still alive, she would be the only one who could heal the rift and help her children resolve their conflicts.
Richard Kay, a close friend of the late Princess Diana, said it would be heartbreaking for her to see the rift between her two sons. Mr Kay, the Daily Mail editor, once spoke to Princess Diana up to six times a day. In the Mail’s Palace Confidential programme, Mr Kay said the two princes were “fighting over their mother’s legacy”.
“They’re fighting over Diana’s legacy, they’re dividing Diana’s legacy, and they’re picking and choosing whichever part suits them best. I think that’s a huge tragedy,” the royal expert said. “What I know about Diana is that, first and foremost, her love for her sons, that was clear to the world, she loved those boys. I think she would be heartbroken.”
Mr Kay believes Princess Diana would be very proud of Prince William and Kate Middleton for following in their parents’ footsteps and becoming the Prince and Princess of Wales. He added: “I think she would be proud of William and Catherine, the beautiful image they have created and the way they have succeeded her and Charles so seamlessly.”
The relationship between the two princes has become more strained since the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped down as senior members of the royal family in 2020. In his memoir Spare, Harry calls William his “frenemy” and says the two are “in constant competition.” Harry also details fights between the brothers.
The rift is believed to have started when William told his brother to “slow down” when Harry first started dating Meghan Markle in 2017. Since then, the two brothers have rarely been seen together. The Prince of Wales did not even see his brother during a quick visit to the UK in May.
Kay believes Princess Diana, who died in a car crash in Paris in 1997, would be “very jealous” that Harry was able to “escape” the royal family. “You have to remember, Diana was a radical, she was very unhappy, she was trapped in the royal system, she tried to get out, but she couldn’t before she died. I think she would be very proud that Harry has chosen a life outside the royal circle,” Kay said.