Prince Harry and Prince William both attended the funeral of their uncle, Lord Robert Fellowes, amidst ongoing tensions between the brothers. Despite their presence at the same event, the two reportedly avoided each other throughout the service, underscoring the depth of their rift.
The service took place at St. Mary’s Church in Snettisham, Norfolk, on Wednesday, August 28, according to reports from The Sun. Lord Fellowes, the brother-in-law of Princess Diana, the late mother of Harry and William, passed away on July 29 at the age of 82. The cause of his death has not been disclosed.
Although it was previously believed that Prince Harry would not attend the funeral due to ongoing security concerns in the U.K., a family friend confirmed to The Sun that both princes were indeed present. “They were very happy to confirm both princes were there,” the source shared. However, the brothers did not sit near each other, with both opting to sit in the back of the church.
A separate source told The Sun that they were unaware of the princes’ attendance until after the service when they spotted them leaving discreetly. “They arrived very discreetly,” the source noted.
Another attendee corroborated the strained relationship between the brothers, stating, “William and Harry were both there but we never saw them speak to each other and they were keeping their distance.”
The rift between the once-close brothers has been widely reported as “very bad,” though a royal insider emphasized that it’s not “irreparable.” The discord reportedly began in 2016 when Prince William expressed concerns about the speed of Harry’s relationship with Meghan Markle. The tension became public in 2020 when Harry and Meghan announced their departure from royal duties, a move that deepened the divide.
The last public reunion of the brothers occurred in May 2023 during King Charles’ coronation. However, reports suggest that they did not interact with each other at the event. Since then, communication between Harry and the royal family, particularly with King Charles, has reportedly deteriorated. Despite a positive meeting between Harry and King Charles in February following the King’s cancer diagnosis, sources indicate that King Charles is no longer taking Harry’s calls.
Harry’s concerns about the safety of his wife Meghan and their children, Prince Archie, 5, and Princess Lilibet, 3, continue to be a significant issue. He has reportedly asked his father for help regarding their security, but the response has been lukewarm at best.
The funeral of Lord Robert Fellowes served as yet another reminder of the strained relations within the royal family, with no signs of reconciliation on the horizon.