ANYONE who hoped that the Platinum Jubilee celebrations would be the moment Prince William and Prince Harry healed their bitter rift will be disappointed, according to a royal expert.
Here royal biographer Angela Levin tells The Celeb Report why there is no end in sight for this “simmering feud”.
THE barriers to a reconciliation between Prince William and his brother are a lack of trust in Harry and his unwillingness to fit into William’s increasingly full diary of royal work.
Harry once told me that William was the only person he could trust.
But the Duke of Cambridge now knows that when Harry talks to any royal, he repeats it on a TV channel in America.
You can’t have an honest heart-to-heart talk with someone being paid by Netflix.
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The Royal Family are also waiting for the publication of Harry’s memoirs before deciding whether to improve relations with him.
What is the point of repairing the damage if Harry is going to tear it all apart again with more attacks on William and Charles?
Another major issue is that William’s diary is full up for a year ahead.
The Duke of Cambridge is going to be incredibly busy taking on more of the Queen’s workload, and it is up to Harry and Meghan to fit into his schedule.
Harry once said to me he wanted to support William because this role is such a burden, but he doesn’t want to be a full-time royal anymore.
That is fine; if the Duke of Sussex wants a completely different life in the US, he can have it.
But you don’t then pretend to be an alternative monarchy by being so superior and rushing off back home.
I think Harry and Meghan expected a very warm welcome and that everyone would drop everything for them.
In reality the Royals were rushed off their feet during the four day Platinum Jubilee.
I think Harry was at fault because he could have come over to see his brother when things were quiet enough for a serious conversation.
You can’t undo the level of hurt with a two minute chat.
Harry attacked William by saying his brother was trapped in the monarchy, and hurt Catherine, who William is very protective of.
Apology
The problem is that Harry thinks the Royals should apologise to him, but in fact he should apologise to the whole of the Royal Family. He has really bruised it.
William is very proud. I think it is Catherine who is more likely to show forgiveness.
She comes from a stable family where differences would be sorted out.
When you come from a dysfunctional home like Harry and William, it is much harder to let bygones be bygones.
Neither Harry and William nor Meghan and Catherine even glanced at each other during the service at St Paul’s Cathedral on Friday.
William was focused on the thanksgiving service, which wasn’t the time for back slaps or winks.
Harry wears his heart on his sleeve, so it was obvious he was shocked to be put on the right, while Camilla and Charles were on the left.
He is sixth in line to the throne and expected to be with them.
Instead he was with the people who aren’t working royals and, as a result, had a furious look on his face.
Missed opportunity
I think small children can bridge a divide and the presence of Harry’s one-year-old daughter Lilibet could have helped soothe relations if there had been more time.
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I am sure if all the children had got together for Lilibet’s birthday, that would have broken the ice.
But this estrangement won’t end until Harry apologises for saying that William is trapped.
