PRINCE Harry and his brother William may be reunited over their joint rage at Martin Bashir, and could come together to unveil a statue of their mum Diana, a royal expert has claimed.
Harry, 36, and William, 38, fell out as the Duke of Sussex left the Royal Family to move to the United States with his wife Meghan Markle.
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However, royal expert Robert Jobson said the brothers could heal their relationship as they both slammed BBC journalist Bashir’s controversial Panorama interview with Diana in 1995.
Last week, William blasted the “lurid and false claims” Bashir used to con Diana into giving the Panorama interview, and the Corporation’s cover-up into his behaviour after Lord Dyson’s bombshell report.
The Duke of Cambridge said the lies about the Royal Family “played on her fears and fuelled paranoia” – while brother Harry said the probe was the “first step towards justice” for their mum.
Mr Jobson said the brothers’ joint anger at the Bashir interview and their potential reunion at the unveiling of their mum’s statue in July could see them repair their relationship.
He told the ABC’s HeirPod podcast: “This may – their indignation at the BBC – may bring them all together, because frankly the feuding, blaming, finger pointing has to stop at some stage.
“I’d hope that any sons, whoever they are, royal or not, could have decency to come together to pay tribute to their mother who they lost at a very early age, and pay their respects thoughtfully and with honour.
“I think to continue this feuding is both pointless and upsetting for everybody, I don’t think doing our Royal Family any good in its brand abroad, and at some stage they have got to sit down and talk, so why not sit down and talk after the unveiling of statue of someone who did so much good for so many people around the world?”
Wills emphatically slammed the BBC for the 1996 Panorama interview and its fallout, insisting the failings “not only let my mother down, and my family down; they let the public down”.
In a heartfelt outpouring, the Duke of Cambridge told of his “indescribable sadness” that his tragic mother had been tricked and deceived by Bashir and failed by the Beeb and its leaders.
William said: “The findings are extremely concerning. It is my view that the deceitful way the interview was obtained substantially influenced what my mother said.
“The interview was a major contribution to making my parents’ relationship worse. And has since hurt countless others.
“It brings indescribable sadness to know that the BBC’s failures contributed significantly to her fear, paranoia and isolation that I remember from those final years with her.
“But what saddens me most, is that if the BBC had properly investigated the complaints and concerns first raised in 1995, my mother would have known that she had been deceived.
“She was failed not just by a rogue reporter, but by leaders at the BBC who looked the other way rather than asking the tough questions.”
And brother Harry also released a statement from his home in the US, paying tribute to his mother’s “unquestionable honesty”.
He said: “Our mother was an incredible woman who dedicated her life to service. She was resilient, brave, and unquestionably honest.”
The duke added: “That is the first step towards justice and truth. Yet what deeply concerns me is that practices like these – and even worse- are still widespread today.
“Then, and now, it’s bigger than one outlet, one network, or one publication.
“Our mother lost her life because of this, and nothing has changed. By protecting her legacy, we protect everyone, and uphold the dignity with which she lived her life.
“Let’s remember who she was and what she stood for.”
DIANA STATUE
The Kensington Palace ceremony to reveal Diana’s statue is a long-term project between the brothers, who fell out over Harry’s decision to quit as a working royal.
Hopes of improved relations were raised after they chatted at Prince Philip’s funeral last month.
A source said: “They will both move heaven and earth to be there. They commissioned the statue together. It is very important for them.
“There is, of course, hope the memory of Diana can repair their relationship but that seems a long way off right now.
“The brothers will be physically together for the ceremony but want to make their own personal addresses.
“You might have thought they’d go for a joint statement and speech but that’s not the case. Each has insisted on preparing their own.
“It is a big concern that their body language will suggest all is not well and they won’t present a united front.”
The statue will be unveiled on what would have been the 60th birthday of Princess Diana, who died in 1997.
Harry’s pregnant wife Meghan is expected to stay in the US. The Queen is also unlikely to go.
Another source said: “She feels this is William and Harry’s event and would not want to overshadow them.”