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 sign of reconciliation between Prince Harry and the royal family, especially with his older brother, Prince William.
It will be the first time Harry has come face to face with the royal family since he and his wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, retired from royal duties last March and moved to California with their young son. , Archie.
While this outing caused a huge breakup in the monarchy, family relationships took a new dive last month when Harry and Meghan sincerely interviewed the American talk show Oprah Winfrey. Among other revelations, Harry confirmed rumors that he and his brother had separated, saying that “the relationship is ‘space’ right now,” although he added that “time heals all things, hopefully “.
Harry also told Winfrey that his father, heir to the throne, Prince Charles, did not accept his calls for a while.
And the couple dropped a bomb on revealing that an anonymous member of the royal family had expressed concern about how “dark” their son’s skin color could be due to Meghan’s biracial heritage. Days after the transmission of the accusations of explosive racism, William fired and told reporters that his “was hardly a racist family.”
Despite the tensions, Saturday’s funeral will almost certainly remind the brothers of the pain shared at another royal funeral more than two decades ago, when, as young children, they both walked behind the coffin of their mother Princess Diana in 1997.
On Saturday, Harry, 36, and William, 38, are expected to join other members of the royal family and pass behind his grandfather’s coffin as the funeral procession makes its way through the castle. of Windsor.
Many observers believe that Philip’s funeral will provide an ideal opportunity for “The Firm” to show a united front in the world and for the royal brothers to ease 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 share grief at present over the death of their grandfather, “former Prime Minister John Major, who was appointed guardian of the princes after Diana’s death, told the BBC this week. possible to repair any cracks that may exist “.
But Angela Levin, Harry’s biographer, said it would be inappropriate for family members to talk about their personal issues during the pre-funeral period, and there may be no time later if Harry returns to the U.S.
“I absolutely think it would be wrong to be on their own before the funeral. And I think it’s wrong to imagine that they will spill their hearts and give each other a hug when so many things have happened in the year and William has had to take on a lot more responsibility, ”he told the AP.
Penny Junor, another royal biographer, believes it would be very difficult to return to the damage caused by Winfrey’s interview, especially the accusations of racism, which she described as “unforgivable.”
“(Harry) was disrespectful to his father. He spoke of a private matter on a global stage. There is a lot to solve, “Junor said. The two brothers are” very stubborn people, “he added, and” William will have been very hurt and angry with his brother over the interview. “
Harry arrived in the UK on Monday and is in quarantine, but may attend the funeral in accordance with government rules making exceptions for these occasions. Meghan, who is pregnant with her second child, received advice from 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 “replacement” of the heir, Harry had far fewer responsibilities and had a reputation as party prince before serving in the army and settling at the age of thirty. He found success and enjoyed popularity in Britain with the Invictus Games, the sporting event he founded for the disabled and wounded military.
However, his place in the monarchy was further reduced with the birth of William’s three sons, who sank him to sixth place on the throne.
It was clear, at least since 2019, that Harry wanted to break with the monarchy’s restrictions in crafting his own narrative. That year, Harry and Meghan separated from the Royal Foundation, originally set up as the brothers’ joint charity, so that they could have their own platform.
Separate statements from this week’s princes in tribute to Philip reflected their different personalities and styles. Although William stated that he and his wife Kate “will continue to do what (Philip) would have wanted and support The Queen in the years to come,” Harry’s tone was much more informal and cheerful.
The younger brother praised Philip for being “truly himself” and thanked him for his “dedication to Granny.” He also wrote, “As long as I could continue, I know I would say to all of us right now, with beer in hand, ‘Oh, keep it up.'”
Still, Levin and Junor said the siblings had enjoyed an incredibly close bond since childhood, and they both hoped it was time to reconcile their differences.
“Harry told me when I interviewed him for my biography, he said William is the only person he can trust,” he said. “He felt that if he went and met people, he didn’t know if they liked what he was more than what he was. But they and William could discuss anything. “
Historian Ed Owens, who wrote “The Family Firm: Monarchy, Mass Media and the British Public 1932-1953,” on the royal family’s public relations strategy in the last century, agreed that it was “still the first days “of a royal reconciliation.
“I don’t think there will be any kind of family reunion or a return to normalcy, before Megxit,” he said.
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Associated Press, Danica Kirka, contributed to this report.
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Read all the AP stories about Prince Philip at https://apnews.com/prince-philip