Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025

William and Harry to mark Diana anniversary in private, apart

William and Harry to mark Diana anniversary in private, apart

Princes William and Harry will on Wednesday mark the 25th anniversary of the death of their mother Princess Diana, in private but apart as a feud between the brothers shows no sign of ending.

The former Lady Diana Spencer, whose fairytale marriage to Prince Charles captivated the world until it publicly unravelled with infidelity and divorce, died in a car crash on August 31, 1997.

Five years ago, her sons attended a series of public commemorations of her life, and spoke of the enduring effect of her death on them.

This year the brothers will not take part in any official commemorations, preferring instead to mark the occasion in private with their own families.

William, 40, recently announced a move from London to the Windsor estate west of London with his wife, Catherine, and their three young children.

Harry, 37, now lives in California with his wife, Meghan, and their two children, after the couple quit the royal family in early 2020.

The Daily Telegraph said on Saturday that the brothers had "agreed to draw a line under their public commemorations" at the 20th anniversary.

Spokespeople for both couples confirmed they would spend the day privately.

Diana's shock death aged just 36 saw a sea of floral tributes laid at the gates of her former London home, Kensington Palace.

Well-wishers are again expected to lay flowers at the palace, and near the entrance to the Paris road tunnel where the high-speed crash happened.

 Legacy


Diana remains widely revered as a fashion icon and for having cut through stuffy royal convention, particularly after her very public divorce.

She was also praised for charity work highlighting the scourge of landmines and encouraging a change in attitudes to people with HIV/AIDS.

In a sign of the enduring fascination with the royal, last weekend a sporty Ford Escort she once owned was sold for pound sterling737,000 ($864,000) at auction.

Her marital troubles will also feature in the latest series of the hit Netflix drama "The Crown" later this year.

Joe Little, managing editor at Majesty Magazine, said Diana had influenced her sons to be less formal than traditional royals.

"They are much more 'touchy feely' than they ever would have been," he said, pointing to William's hugs for England's women footballers after their Euro 2022 victory this month.

"William can see there is no need for much of the formality in royal life that existed when his father was of a similar age, the institution of the monarchy functions well without all that starchiness," he added.

Last week Harry, who has admitted to mental health struggles because of his mother's death, said he would "share the spirit of my mum with my family, with my children, who I wished could have met her".

"Every day I hope to do her proud," he told a fundraising dinner in the United States last week for his Sentebale charity, which supports young people with HIV.

"I want it to be a day filled with memories of her incredible work and love for the way she did it," he added.

 Rift


William and Harry were just 15 and 12 when Diana died and provided the enduring image of her funeral, walking heads bowed behind her coffin.

Last year the brothers unveiled a statue of her at Kensington Palace on what would have been her 60th birthday.

They said they remembered "her love, strength and character -- qualities that made her a force for good around the world, changing countless lives for the better".

But a rift -- said to date back to soon after Harry began dating Meghan -- was barely concealed.

The pair were seen together briefly at the April 2021 funeral of their grandmother Queen Elizabeth II's husband Prince Philip.

They were apart too at the recent public celebrations marking the queen's 70 years on the throne.

William has angrily hit back at claims in a television interview from the couple of racism in the royal family.

Harry, who is expected to make more revelations in an upcoming memoir, has also said William and their father were trapped in a hidebound institution.

The couple are due at a series of charity events in Britain next week, staying near William and Kate on the sprawling Windsor estate.

There are reportedly no plans for the brothers to meet, nor for Harry to visit his ailing 96-year-old grandmother at her Balmoral retreat in Scotland.

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
×