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Prince William and Prince Harry ‘discreetly’ reunite at uncle’s funeral

The warring brothers have “discreetly” attended the funeral for their uncle in the UK, marking the first time they’ve been in the same place in more than a year.

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Prince William and Prince Harry have quietly attended the funeral for their uncle in the UK, marking the first time the pair have been seen in the same place together in over a year.

The royal brothers, who have been estranged since at least 2020, “discreetly” paid tribute to Lord Robert Fellowes, who was their late mother Diana’s brother-in-law, at a service in the Norfolk village of Snettisham on Wednesday, local time.

Sources had previously claimed Harry wouldn’t attend the funeral, though it appears the Duke of Sussex did make the trip from the US to pay his respects, according to reports.

However, it’s understood William, 42, and Harry, 39, avoided each other at the service.

Prince William and Prince Harry both attended the funeral for their uncle in the UK this week. Picture: Mark Kerrison/In Pictures via Getty Images
Prince William and Prince Harry both attended the funeral for their uncle in the UK this week. Picture: Mark Kerrison/In Pictures via Getty Images

“We never saw them speak to each other and they kept their distance,” an anonymous attendee told The Sun.

Lord Fellowes, who died of undisclosed causes in July aged 82, worked in finance before joining the royal fold when he married Diana’s older sister, Lady Jane Spencer, now 67, in 1978. The couple remained married up until his death.

Lord Robert Fellowes died in July. Picture: Daniel Berehulak/Getty Images
Lord Robert Fellowes died in July. Picture: Daniel Berehulak/Getty Images
The brothers both attended the service, though it’s understood they didn’t speak. Chris Jackson / POOL / AFP
The brothers both attended the service, though it’s understood they didn’t speak. Chris Jackson / POOL / AFP

Meanwhile, the Prince of Wales and Harry have not been in the same room since the King’s Coronation at Westminster Abbey in May 2023.

Even then, it was understood the brothers didn’t have any communication.

The Duke of Sussex has repeatedly said he remains open to reconciling with his family, after relations spiralled further south following the release of his bombshell memoir, Spare, in January 2023.

In February, after King Charles’ cancer diagnosis, Harry made a brief dash to the UK to see his father.

Charles, 75, was reported to have informed Harry of his diagnosis by phone before it was announced by Buckingham Palace.

While there appears to be a slow rebuilding of Harry’s relationship with Charles, it’s understood he and William didn’t see each other during that visit, and have not spoken directly since the late Queen’s funeral in September 2022.

According to Harry’s memoir, even then, they “barely exchanged a word”.

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More recently, the Daily Beast reported William was furious by Harry’s decision to call his wife “Kate” in his public message of support following her cancer diagnosis earlier this year.

It’s understood the Princess of Wales, who was widely known as Kate during her younger years, let it be known just prior to her and William’s wedding she would prefer to be called Catherine.

After she announced her cancer diagnosis in an emotional statement in March, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex released a public statement, which read: “We wish health and healing for Kate and the family, and hope they are able to do so privately and in peace.”

But according to the outlet, William took offence to their refusal to call his wife Catherine, “even when they were sending her get-well-soon messages”, with a friend of the future King’s revealing he found it to be “an entirely unnecessary and deliberate irritation.”

Originally published as Prince William and Prince Harry ‘discreetly’ reunite at uncle’s funeral

Original URL: https://www.themercury.com.au/entertainment/celebrity-life/royals/prince-william-and-prince-harry-discreetly-reunite-at-uncles-funeral/news-story/b1c00944119e87d022aafb565fe988fa