Prince William, Harry to unveil Diana statue as royal cleavage simmers
They were once so close. Prince William and Harry grew up together, supported each other after their mother’s untimely death and worked side by side while embarking on their royal duties – two brothers bound for life by blood, tradition and tragedy seem to be.
But those links are now painfully strained as William defends the royal family in London from allegations of racism and insensitivity by Harry and his wife Meghan from their new home in Southern California.
When William and Harry unveiled a statue of their mother Princess Diana on Thursday, what would have been her 60th birthday, royal watchers will be watching closely for any signs. The event at Sunken Gardens in London’s Kensington Palace will be their second public meeting since Harry and Meghan stepped away from royal duties a year ago.
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People should not expect a quick resolution to conflict because two men are fighting over core beliefs, says historian and author of “Battle of Brothers: William, Harry and the Inside Story of a Family in Tumult,” says Robert Lacey. William is protecting the monarchy, and Harry is protecting his wife.
“It’s a matter of love versus duty, William stands for duty and the concept of monarchy as he sees it,” Lacey said. “And then from Harry’s point of view, love, loyalty to his wife. He stands by her. These are very deep-rooted, so it would be easy to think that there could only be a click of the fingers.”
But it is important for the monarchy to find some sort of rapport among the princes as Britain’s royal family seeks to appeal to a younger generation and a more diverse population.
When Harry married Meghan just three years ago, it looked like he would be the central figure in the next chapter of the royal story.
The Fab Four – along with William and his wife, Kate, Harry, and Meghan – were seen as a cadre of youth and passion that had been a rage in the late 1990s and early 2000s, when the divorce, the death of Princess Diana, and Will take the monarchy forward after Prince Charles. ‘ The controversial second marriage to Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, cast doubt on the institution’s future.
Meghan, a biracial former TV star from Los Angeles, was expected to be a key part of that effort, with Black and Asian commentators saying for the first time there was a member of the royal family who looked like her.
But the words “Fab Four” were quickly replaced by “Royal Rift” in tabloid headlines.
First, their joint royal office was dissolved. Then, Harry stepped down from royal duties and moved his family to North America in search of a more peaceful life. William pressed on with royal functions, which included goodwill events such as visiting his grandmother in Scotland this week to visit a soft drink factory.
The relationship strained further in March when Harry and Meghan gave an interview to US talk show host Oprah Winfrey.
Harry confirmed rumors that he and his brother were separating, saying that “the relationship is ‘space’ at the moment” – although he added that “time heals all things, hopefully.” Harry also told Winfrey that his father, Prince Charles, had not accepted his calls for a while.
And then came the real shocker. The couple revealed that before the birth of their first child, an unidentified member of the royal family had expressed concern about how dark their skin might be. Days after the broadcast, William responded, telling reporters that he “didn’t have a very racist family.”
But whatever their disagreement, in honor of their mother, William and Harry did not display their differences during the statue ceremony, noted historian Ed Owens, in “The Family Firm: Monarchy, Mass Media and the British Public 1932-” author of. 1953,” which examines the public relations strategy of the royal family.
“We’re not going to see any animosity or animosity between the brothers on Thursday,” Owens said. “I think reconciliation is a long way off, but these are expert artists nonetheless. Harry and William have been doing this work for a long time because they know they’ll have to have the occasional private grievance if you want to.” …
Lacey believes that William and Harry will eventually reconcile because it is in their best interest to do so.
Lacey said Harry and Meghan need to repair the relationship to protect the aura of royalty, which has allowed them to sign lucrative contracts with Netflix and Spotify, which are funding their lives in California . If they don’t, they risk becoming irrelevant like the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, who were abdicated by the royal family after the Duke abdicated the throne in the 1930s to marry an American divorcee. His brother, the father of Queen Elizabeth II, then became king.
“It’s very fascinating, especially in America, the idea that they rebelled against this age-old British institution,” Lacey said. “But there’s a point they can’t get very far, and they’re getting to that point.”
“In William’s favour, it is impossible to exclude, to exclude the only members of the royal family who are of mixed race in a multiracial world of diversity,” he said.
The crucial moment could be next year, when the Queen celebrates her platinum jubilee, which marks 70 years on the throne.
Under normal circumstances for these big occasions, the Queen wants the whole family together on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, where the royal family has traditionally gathered to greet the public.
“Who will be on the balcony at Buckingham Palace?” Lacey asked. “That family group certainly includes Meghan and Harry and their two children, Archie and Lily, the children of their cousins, William and Kate.”
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