Prince William and Prince Harry are now all-but estranged causing a split among their friends and loved ones. But there is one group that is able to support both brothers behind the scenes.
Prince William and Prince Harry’s once-close relationship is now in tatters following the Sussexes’ exit from the royal family.
In the time since they stepped down, Harry and Meghan have launched a number of public attacks on the monarchy, in their explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey, their bombshell Netflix documentary and Harry’s tell-all memoir Spare. As a result, Harry is all but estranged from his family – with William said to have completely cut ties with his younger brother.
It is a tricky situation for those close to both Princes; but both William and Harry have the same ally, according to one royal expert, who they can rely on for both discretion and support. The Spencer family have long made their devotion to William and Harry clear, and can be frequently seen at their important engagements.
Just recently, three of Charles Spencer’s daughters, Lady Kitty, Lady Eliza and Lady Amelia, joined Prince William as he hosted the Centrepoint Awards 2024, and it’s clear that this remains a vital relationship. Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond exclusively told OK! : “I really admire the way the Spencer family have clearly maintained a close and private relationship with both William and Harry. It is what Earl Spencer promised during his dramatic oration at Diana’s funeral.
“The relationship has mostly gone under the radar, but it’s obvious that the Earl and his daughters have remained very much in touch with both William and Harry. And that is certainly what Diana would have hoped for, especially as both of her sisters both seem to have managed to remain on good terms with their nephews.
“One of the most important aspects of their relationship is their discretion. I suspect there has been and still is a great deal more contact and support than we ever hear about. And in royal circles, that is the basis for a truly close and continuing relationship. It must be quite a tight rope to walk – but the Spencers seem to be very good at it.”
Back in May, when Prince Harry returned to the UK to celebrate the Invictus Games, he failed to meet with a single member of the royal family. But he was supported by Diana’s siblings Lady Jane Fellowes and Earl Spencer.
“The Spencers are sufficiently removed from the Windsor side of the family to make their support for Harry public,” Jenny continued. “It doesn’t mean they agree with everything he has said or written about the royal side of the family… but it does mean that they intend to honour the pledge to their sister made by Earl Spencer at Diana’s funeral: ‘To do all we can to continue the imaginative way in which you were steering these two exceptional young men so that their souls are not simply immersed by duty and tradition, but can sing openly as you planned.'”
