Prince Harry And William Didn't 'Speak To Each Other' At Their Uncle's Funeral Amid Royal Feud
By Favour Adegoke on August 30, 2024 at 9:45 AM EDT
Prince William and Prince Harry reportedly joined other family members to pay their last respects at their uncle Robert Fellowes' funeral.
The warring brothers seemingly kept their distance from each other and didn't speak amid their ongoing royal feud.
Lord Fellowes died last month, with reports initially claiming that Prince Harry wouldn't make the trip for his funeral because of his security concerns in the UK.
Prince Harry And Prince William Attended Their Uncle's Funeral 'Very Discreetly'
The Duke of Sussex made a secret dash from Los Angeles and joined his estranged elder brother, Prince William, at the solemn occasion of their uncle, Lord Fellowes' funeral.
Locals in Snettisham, Norfolk, claimed that the pair both attended the service for Lord Fellowes, which was held at St Mary's Church in Snettisham on Wednesday, but sat apart at the back of the auditorium.
It was initially reported that the Montecito-based royal wouldn't be making the trip because of his security concerns in his home country. However, sources told The Sun that he and his brother arrived "very discreetly," and one wouldn't have known they were there.
William and Harry haven't been in the same room since their father, King Charles' coronation in 2022, and their recent sighting makes it the first time they've publicly been together since Queen Elizabeth II's funeral that same year.
Lord Fellowes is the uncle of William and Harry and the brother-in-law of their late mom, Princess Diana, as he was married to her sister, Lady Jane. He was also Queen Elizabeth II's private secretary from 1990 until 1999.
Guests Claim The Warring Royal Siblings 'Didn't Speak' To Each Other At The Funeral
Although they were within close distance, the Prince of Wales reportedly didn't speak to his younger brother amid their ongoing feud.
The brothers' relationship has soured since Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, left their royal duties to go live abroad in 2020.
He further strained things with the allegations he made in his 2023 memoir, "Spare." In the book, he wrote that William labeled Meghan "difficult," "rude," and "abrasive" and even accused the future king of pushing him into a dog bowl.
Eyewitnesses told The Sun that they didn't see the pair talking to each other at Lord Fellowes's funeral, meaning a possible reunion between them may not be in the works at the moment.
"I didn't know they were there. They arrived very discreetly," a local said. Another noted, "William and Harry were both there but we never saw them speak to each other and they were keeping their distance."
Prince Harry Wants Peace To Reign Despite Snub
It remains unclear if Harry's stay in the UK would be for an extended period or if he immediately left the country following Fellowes' service.
However, a source told OK! that Harry hopes his family extends an olive branch and is open to peace talks, especially as his 40th birthday draws closer.
"With Harry's birthday fast approaching, he has been speaking about maybe reaching out to Kate because it's on milestones like this when he really misses her," the insider claimed. "She helped plan his 30th birthday and he feels bad that she won't be involved and would love to catch up with her and see how everything is."
"But he knows that will never happen because Kate would never go behind William's back and she will stay loyal to the royals," the source continued. "It would be a complete shock if they had peace talks but Harry still feels they all need each other."
The source also claimed that while Harry may be hoping for peace between him and his family, Meghan is seemingly skeptical about it.
"She has her reservations over it because she's seen how much Harry has been hurt by them but if that's what he really wanted, then she wouldn't ban him from speaking to his family," they said. "They have all said their part and she would like to move on but it's difficult."
Prince Harry's Old Friend Claims He Misses Life In The UK
According to a close friend of Harry's, the duke is battling with underlying feelings of anger and frustration, as he would much rather be back in the UK with his friends and family.
Speaking to The Times, the friend, who claims to exchange WhatsApp messages with Harry occasionally, revealed, "He's an angry boy. Things haven't turned out how he wanted. I think he misses being over here [in Britain] desperately and wants to be admired more. Anyone who knows him feels he'd rather be top of the pops here with everyone loving him, as they do with William and Kate."
Another source who has known Harry since his teenage years suggested that the prince likely longs for his former life, which was filled with pub outings and weekends in the English countryside with friends.
The Duke Wouldn't Give Interviews Promoting 'Spare' Paperback
Meanwhile, Harry may have already extended an olive branch to his family, as reports suggest he will not be granting interviews to promote the paperback edition of "Spare," which is scheduled for release in October.
"Harry doesn't plan to give any interviews to promote the paperback edition," A friend of Harry's said, per the Daily Mail.
"The paperback was a part of the book deal he signed, but he is not contractually obliged to promote this edition," they added. "The reason it has taken longer than usual for the paperback to be published is that the more expensive hardback was still selling well."