Reports that the brothers’ relationship had grown frosty in the
years since Harry met and married Markle had been circulating for
years, but few knew the extent of the rift until the Oprah
interview aired last month. Among the accusations made by the Duke
and Duchess of Sussex was that Prince William’s wife, Kate
Middleton, had
made Meghan Markle cry in the lead-up to her 2018 wedding (and
then allowed the press to recast the story with Markle as the
villain); that Kensington Palace had refused
to get Markle psychological help when she was suicidally
depressed because of fears of bad publicity; and most disturbingly,
that
concerns were raised over “how dark” Meghan and Harry’s son
Archie’s skin would be.
After today, this seems unlikely. During the funeral procession,
Harry and William were physically separated by their cousin Peter
Phillips. During the service itself, the brothers sat on opposite
sides of the church. The separation of seating was partly due to
Covid-19 restrictions that saw members of individual households
cluster together. But so far as symbolism goes, it was a striking
image to see Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince Charles,
Camilla Parker-Bowles, Princess Eugenie, Princess Beatrice, and
their two husbands, sit on one side of the room, with Prince Harry
and
Prince Andrew among the few recognizable faces on the other
side. In the royal family, there are very few coincidences.
WINDSOR, ENGLAND - APRIL 17: The Duchess of
Cambridge, the Duke of Cambridge and Earl of Wessex attend the
funeral of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, at St George's Chapel
at Windsor Castle on April 17, 2021 in Windsor, England. Prince
Philip of Greece and Denmark was born 10 June 1921, in Greece. He
served in the British Royal Navy and fought in WWII. He married the
then Princess Elizabeth on 20 November 1947 and was created Duke of
Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth, and Baron Greenwich by King VI. He
served as Prince Consort to Queen Elizabeth II until his death on
April 9 2021, months short of his 100th birthday. His funeral takes
place today at Windsor Castle with only 30 guests invited due to
Coronavirus pandemic restrictions. (Photo by Dominic Lipinski - WPA
Pool/Getty Images)
WINDSOR, ENGLAND - APRIL 17: The Duke of Sussex
(R) bows his head during the funeral of Prince Philip, Duke of
Edinburgh, at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle on April 17,
2021 in Windsor, England. Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark was
born 10 June 1921, in Greece. He served in the British Royal Navy
and fought in WWII. He married the then Princess Elizabeth on 20
November 1947 and was created Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth,
and Baron Greenwich by King VI. He served as Prince Consort to
Queen Elizabeth II until his death on April 9 2021, months short of
his 100th birthday. His funeral takes place today at Windsor Castle
with only 30 guests invited due to Coronavirus pandemic
restrictions. (Photo by Jonathan Brady - WPA Pool/Getty
Images)
WINDSOR, ENGLAND - APRIL 17: (L-R) Prince Andrew,
Duke of York, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Prince Edward,
Earl of Wessex, Peter Phillips, Earl of Snowdon David
Armstrong-Jones, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Vice-Admiral Sir
Timothy Laurence during the funeral of Prince Philip, Duke of
Edinburgh on April 17, 2021 in Windsor, England. Prince Philip of
Greece and Denmark was born 10 June 1921, in Greece. He served in
the British Royal Navy and fought in WWII. He married the then
Princess Elizabeth on 20 November 1947 and was created Duke of
Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth, and Baron Greenwich by King VI. He
served as Prince Consort to Queen Elizabeth II until his death on
April 9 2021, months short of his 100th birthday. His funeral takes
place today at Windsor Castle with only 30 guests invited due to
Coronavirus pandemic restrictions. (Photo by Samir Hussein -
Pool/Wireimage)
WINDSOR, ENGLAND - APRIL 17: Prince William, Duke
of Cambridge, Peter Phillips and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex
follow Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh's coffin during the
Ceremonial Procession during the funeral of Prince Philip, Duke of
Edinburgh at Windsor Castle on April 17, 2021 in Windsor, England.
Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark was born 10 June 1921, in
Greece. He served in the British Royal Navy and fought in WWII. He
married the then Princess Elizabeth on 20 November 1947 and was
created Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth, and Baron Greenwich
by King VI. He served as Prince Consort to Queen Elizabeth II until
his death on April 9 2021, months short of his 100th birthday. His
funeral takes place today at Windsor Castle with only 30 guests
invited due to Coronavirus pandemic restrictions. (Photo by Adrian
Dennis/WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Much like the Sussexes’ visibly frosty reception at Commonwealth Day
celebrations last year—their last official outing as full-time
working royals—the visible distance between the two brothers will
do little to quell rumors that their falling out is far from over.
In footage taken after the funeral service, Harry, Kate, and
William—once a much-loved and close-knit trio—are filmed walking together. And while they
exchange a few words, you don’t need to be a body language expert
to pick up on the palpable tension.
Here’s hoping that things can improve for the brothers, whose
fraternal bond captured the heart of the public following the
tragic death of their mother, Princess Diana, in 1997.