Prince William and Prince Harry have been estranged for a number of years now following the Duke of Sussex’s decision to step down from his royal role. After relocating to the US with his wife, Meghan Markle, Harry discussed the breakdown of his familial ties in various interviews, documenting his fractured relationship with William in his bestselling memoir, Spare.
In recent reports, many royal insiders have claimed that William has no interest in reconciling with Harry and has already made a tough decision about his younger brother’s involvement in his future coronation. However, it seems that the distant Princes could well be forced to come face to face sooner than expected. William and Harry’s cousin, Peter Phillips, announced his engagement to Harriet Sperling last week. Peter, the son of Princess Anne, was formerly married to August Kelly but the couple divorced in 2021. His engagement to Harriet Sperling comes after a ‘whirlwind’ year together.
A statement for the couple read: “Mr Peter Phillips, the son of HRH The Princess Royal and Captain Mark Phillips and Ms Harriet Sperling, daughter of the late Mr Rupert Sanders and Mrs Mary Sanders of Gloucestershire, have today confirmed their official engagement. Both families were informed jointly of the announcement and were delighted with the wonderful news of their engagement. Their Majesties The King and Queen, The Prince and Princess of Wales have been informed of the announcement. No date has been officially set for the wedding.”
Although the couple are yet to set a date, it is expected that William and Harry will both receive invites to the royal affair given that they both grew up with Peter, and it has been reported that both brothers have a good relationship with their cousin. The last time that the three were seen together in public was for the late Prince Philip’s funeral procession in 2021, and later at Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in 2022.
If William and Harry attend the royal wedding, it could bring them one step closer to reuniting. Harry and his father, King Charles, already appear to be building bridges; last month, their aides were spotted engaging in ‘peace talks’ at a private members club – although William’s absence was noted, with one insider telling the Daily Mail: “I’d be surprised if William wasn’t aware that it was going ahead. His office and Team Sussex have coordinated in the past, even when the two brothers weren’t speaking, over events for the Diana Award or the unveiling of the Diana statue. But relations have been increasingly strained even at that level between the Sussexes and both the King’s and William’s offices.”
Harry has expressed his desire to reunite with his father, telling the BBC earlier this year that he “would love reconciliation”. If both William and Harry attend Peter Phillips’ wedding, it could be a tentative move towards it.
TOPICS