In the cold, Princes William and Harry mark Wednesday, in private and thousands of miles apart, the 25th anniversary of the death of their mother Diana, who upset the planet and shook the British monarchy.
“Lady Di”, whose fairy-tale wedding and then shattering divorce from Prince Charles had fascinated the world, died in a car accident in Paris on August 31, 1997, chased by paparazzi. His two sons, then aged 15 and 12, moved millions as they walked side by side behind his coffin, fighting back tears in front of the cameras.
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Five years ago, on the 20th anniversary of her death, William and Harry took part in public memorials and spoke out regarding their mother.
Nothing will happen this year.
According to the Daily Telegraph, the two brothers “have decided to draw a line under their public commemorations”, the spokespersons of the two princes confirming that they will each mark the event in private.
William, 40, left London this summer to move with his wife Kate and their three children to Windsor, west of the capital and where Queen Elizabeth II also resides.
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His younger brother Harry, 37, lives in California with his wife Meghan and their two children following the couple decided to leave the royal family in 2020.
Like every year, onlookers should come and lay flowers in front of Kensington Palace in London or near the entrance to the Parisian tunnel where the princess died at 36.
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The Princess of Wales remains an icon who shook royal conventions and she is still associated with the humanitarian causes that were dear to her such as her fight for landmines and her support for AIDS patients.
According to Majesty Magazine’s Joe Little, Diana’s legacy can be seen in the less formal way William and Harry behave today compared to the rest of the royal family.
“There is a lot more expression of emotions,” he explains, taking the example of Prince William kissing the female Euro-winning football players this summer.
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“William sees that there is no need for as many formalities as what existed when his father was his age,” adds the specialist.
Harry, who admitted his mother’s death had taken a toll on his psychological health, said he would be spending the day with family.
“Every day I hope to make her proud,” he said last week in the United States at a dinner for an association for aid patients. “I want it to be a day filled with memories of his amazing work and love.”
In 2021, the two cold brothers met to unveil a statue of their mother in front of Kensington Palace, but they barely spoke to each other.
They then said they remembered “her love, her strength and her personality, the qualities that made her a force for good all over the world”.
The two brothers who have since given no sign of rapprochement.
During celebrations for Elizabeth II’s 70th reign in June, Harry and William sat far apart during a church service.
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Harry and Meghan have accused the royal family of racism, saying they were asked regarding their unborn child’s skin color as Meghan is of mixed race. What William denied in front of the cameras.
Any reconciliation is suspended on the content of a book of confidences that Harry must publish by the end of the year, eagerly awaited by the press which speculates on possible settling of accounts and revelations.
Harry and Meghan are expected back in the UK in September. They are to stay in Windsor, on the estate of Queen Elizabeth II, near William’s new home. But, according to the British press, the two brothers have not planned to see each other.
