Royal rift deepens as Princess Diana’s anniversary looms

With four days until the 25th anniversary of the late Princess Diana’s death, royal experts share insights into “deep” rift between Princes William and Harry.

The Duke of Cambridge and the Duke of Sussex have not spoken in person since they revealed publicly for the first time the statue of their late mother cast in bronze last summer.

With four days until the 25th anniversary of the late Princess Diana’s death, royal experts say Prince William, 40, and his wife Kate Middleton, 40, are unlikely to meet Prince Harry, 37, and his wife Meghan Markle, 41, upon their return to the UK in September.

Both parties have, however, organised quiet vigils at their mother’s isolated gravesite in Althorp Park, the Spencer family estate.

“The family isn’t doing much this year, but the brothers will be going separately to Diana’s gravesite to say a silent prayer for their mother,” said royal expert Ingrid Seward.

“Royals don’t often commemorate anniversaries but the boys will primarily visit their mother on the anniversary of her death.

“It is possible Harry will arrive earlier in England, we’re waiting to hear”.

Prince William and Prince Harry, pictured here unveiling a statue they commissioned of their mother Diana, Princess of Wales, on what would have been her 60th birthday on July 1, last year. Picture: Getty Images

Flowers and tributes are already being laid at the Golden Gates of Kensington Palace in a markedly more sombre anniversary than last year when the brothers put on a united front at Windsor Castle to unveil the statue of their mother. It represents the humanitarian work she did in her later years.

With a question mark over whether the Queen will leave Balmoral for London early next month for when the new Tory party leader will go to the palace to “kiss hands” and become prime minister, royal observers say it is unlikely Harry and Meghan will visit HRH.

Prince William and Prince Harry’s relationship is icy, according to observers. AFP)

Observers insist the icy relationship between William and Harry remains “deep” and the Duke of Cambridge will not meet his brother until he knows the contents of Harry’s tell-all book, ghostwritten by Pulitzer Prize-winning author J.R. Moehringer and due for release at the end of the year.

“The Palace has not been given an advance copy of the book and William will read it at the same time as the public – the rift between the brothers is pretty deep and it appears they have no plans to meet,” said royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams.

“Harry is arriving in the UK for two charitable functions – the last time he met his brother in public was for the unveiling of their mother’s statue and relations between them have since remained incredibly strained. It’s unlikely Harry and Meghan will have time to visit the Queen and it’s clear their interests lie in the United States.

“William is still outraged over what was said on Oprah, especially the claims over racism.”

Diana, Princess of Wales, in 1991 portrait by Patrick Demarchelier. Picture: British Royalty

Princess Diana, pictured here in November 1992. Picture: Joel Robine/AFP

The anniversary of Princess Diana’s death coincides with a new television series re-examining conspiracy theories.

The penultimate episode of the four-part Channel 4 documentary, Investigating Diana: Death in Paris, will air on Sunday ahead of the anniversary.

Neither of her sons was consulted about the series and neither has been shown a preview, sources confirmed.

For the brothers, it will come as another painful attempt to exploit their mother’s death and will only serve to fuel the various conspiracy theories about the fatal accident that producers claim aims to separate fact from fiction.

Princess Diana died in a car crash in 1997.

The car crash that killed Princess Diana prompted two inquiries.

Princess Diana died in 1997 in a car crash in the Alma Tunnel prompting two inquiries – one by the French Brigade Criminelle that year and the second by the Metropolitan Police seven years later.

Various conspiracy theories, all of them unsubstantiated, circulated in the wake of the tragedy, largely propelled by Mohamed Al Fayed, father of Diana’s partner Dodi Al Fayed, who also died in the crash.

The late Harrod’s boss claimed the Duke of Edinburgh had ordered their murder, that MI6 was involved and that the Princess and his son were engaged.

People lined the streets during Princess Diana’s funeral.

The Princess of Wales’ coffin was flanked by soldiers as it was carried on gun carriage during funeral procession.

The Princess’s former butler Paul Burrell fuelled propaganda after publishing a note in 2001 that he maintained had been written by the Princess in 1995 and which contained allegations that the Prince of Wales was “planning an accident” to enable him to marry again.

A drawn out inquest beginning in 2007 examined many of the theories but concluded that the deaths of the Princess, Mr Al-Fayed and their chauffeur Henri Paul were the result of “grossly negligent driving”.

The jury found they had been unlawfully killed by a combination of the speed and manner of Mr Paul’s driving, his impairment through alcohol, the speed and manner of the paparazzi driving behind and the fact that they were not wearing seatbelts.

Prince Charles with Prince William and Prince Harry watch the hearse as it leaves Westminster Abbey.

Prince William and Prince Harry with bowed heads outside Westminster Abbey.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are preparing to travel from their home in California to visit two charities in Britain, as well as heading to Germany for an event to commemorate a year until the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf.

On September 5, the day of the Tory party leadership elections, they will travel to Manchester for the One Young World Summit, which unites young leaders from more than 190 countries. Meghan is slated to deliver the keynote address at the opening ceremony.

The couple will then head to Germany to commemorate a year until the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf on September 6, before returning to the UK for the WellChild Awards in London on September 8 where Prince Harry will deliver a speech.

It is the first time the couple will be in the UK since the Jubilee celebrations in June, when they kept a low profile. They also visited in April, when they secretly met Charles and the Queen on their way to the Netherlands.

Originally published as Royal rift deepens as Princess Diana’s anniversary looms