When they came together to unveil a statue of their mother Diana, Princess of Wales, in honour of what would have been her 60th birthday on July 1, Princes William and Harry put their differences aside. And rather than making individual speeches, they penned a statement acknowledging that Diana was a “force for good around the world, changing countless lives for the better”.
The pair seemed to be on good terms at the unveiling and were smiling and chatting as they entered the Kensington Palace garden where the statue has been placed. Body language expert Judi James says their automatic mirroring of each other’s movements and stances suggests they still have deep ties. One telling moment came after the covering over the statue was pulled off and after a moment of reflection, Harry briefly turned to his brother, as if he wanted to share his thoughts.
But there was no reconciliation. Harry, who arrived at the palace just 10 minutes before the ceremony, left as soon as it was finished, and flew back to his wife, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, son Archie, two, and newborn daughter Lilibet in California almost immediately.
Royal commentator Richard Kay, who was a good friend of Diana’s, says an “unspoken sadness” loomed over the ceremony, and that William and Harry carried out their duties with “professional aplomb but precious little exuberance”.
He adds, “You could not see the tension, but you could feel it.”
This story is from the July 19, 2021 edition of New Zealand Woman's Weekly.
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This story is from the July 19, 2021 edition of New Zealand Woman's Weekly.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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