Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025

Diana statue: What next for William and Harry's relationship?

Diana statue: What next for William and Harry's relationship?

On Thursday afternoon in London, Princes William and Harry will unveil a statue of their mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, on what would have been her 60th birthday. But - after months of speculation - how is the brothers' relationship?

"We are stuck with each other for the rest of our lives." That's how Prince Harry put it in 2018 when asked about his relationship with William.

Since then so much has shifted. They may be stuck with each other - but they are currently heading in very different directions.

The unveiling of the statue comes at a time of family turmoil. William and Harry will put on a united front but the close relationship between them is broken.

Sources say communications have been minimal - with deep upset and mistrust on both sides.

Princess Diana with William, then nine, and Harry, seven, at Niagara Falls on the US/Canada border
All smiles: With her sons in 1993 at Thorpe Park in Surrey
Looking back over interviews William and Harry have done over the years, it's hard to avoid the thought: "How did it come to this?"

Yes, there was sibling rivalry. Yes, there was teasing. And yes, there have been arguments over the years.

But what strikes you is the obvious connection they had.

There is a shared grief, a shared recovery, and a clear love and affection for one another in everything they said. Yet what seemed an unbreakable bond has shattered.

But why?

It is complicated and personal - with much of it played out in public. There have been conflicts over Prince Harry's wife Meghan, staff, public life, duty and future direction.

It has created a deep and bruising divide that is proving hard to fix.

Robert Lacey has examined what has gone wrong in his book Battle of Brothers. "Our British royal family is not supposed to be a perfect family," he said.

"So the fact that the brothers are at odds at the moment isn't necessarily the end of the value or the importance of the Royal Family. If somehow out of this split comes some sort of reconciliation that will presumably hold a lesson for all of us."

But reconciliation is proving hard to find. The wounds are deep. A resolution will take time, I'm told.

There is unity, though, over the statue to their mother and its place in honouring her legacy. William and Harry commissioned it and have driven the project forward.

"I think unveiling the statue will be hugely emotional," said Tessy Ojo, the chief executive of the Diana Award.

"It will capture the thoughts of her sons around her and that will be so meaningful. We will see her through their eyes."

Through his lens, the Sun's royal photographer, Arthur Edwards, has been capturing the Royal Family on camera for more than 45 years.

He has seen it all - the affection for Diana and the love and sympathy for her sons following her death. For him, the statue unveiling brings genuine sadness.

"Let's just put it this way," he told me. "If that doesn't break the ice between them, nothing will.

"This is their mother, the person they love more than anybody else in the world… and if they can't realise what a big moment this is and just shake hands or just say something lovely to each other then what do you do? Just don't hold your breath."

The sight of William and Harry alongside the statue of their mother - within the grounds of their childhood home, Kensington Palace - will be evocative.

The influence of Princess Diana still impacts the modern Royal Family and the statue will be recognition of that - and a new place for royal pilgrimage in London.

Those who know William and Harry hope this moment will offer more - and that, under the gaze of their mother, they will cast off their rancour and frustration, and begin to heal their troubled relationship.


Prince Harry on William in 2019: "We are certainly on different paths at the moment"
The Duke of Cambridge and the Duke of Sussex are set to unveil a statue in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales



Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
×