EXCLUSIVE: Prince Harry is back sooner than expected in the UK – and one palace insider hopes the family will recover after a painful year.
The Duke of Sussex was originally scheduled to return in July to unveil the statue with his older brother, Prince William, in honor of their late mother, Princess Diana. She would have turned 60 on July 1st.
However, the 36-year-old arrives on Sunday to attend the funeral of his grandfather Prince Philip, who died on Friday at the age of 99. Harry was traveling alone when his wife Meghan Markle stayed with their nearly 2-year-old son back in California. Archie.
The Duchess of Sussex is expecting her second child, a girl who should be in the summer. The 39-year-old was advised by a doctor not to travel.
PRINCE HARRY QUARANTINE AT HIS AND MEGHAN MARKLE’S FROGMORE COTTAGE AHEAD OF PRINCE PHILIP’S FUNERAL
Prince Harry and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, attend the Fields of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey on 10 November 2016 in London, England.
(Getty Images)
The funeral will take place on Saturday. It will also be the first time Harry has come face-to-face with the royal family since he and his wife stepped down from royal duties last March.
While the departure caused a huge rift in the palace, family relations took a further dive last month when the Duke and Duchess of Sussex gave a bomber to Oprah Winfrey that has been seen by nearly 50 million people worldwide.
“It’s all speculation right now about what’s going to happen,” Nick Royalty co-founder of True Royalty told Fox News. “But funerals, weddings and births often hear families. And I think both William and Harry will know – and do know – that the Duke of Edinburgh wants them to be reunited.”
The award-winning documentary has been making programs about the royal family for almost 20 years and has been working with Harry’s father, Prince Charles, for eight years.
PRINCE HARRY COMES IN UK BEFORE GRANDMA PRINCE PHILIP’S FUNERAL
In this October 31, 2015 file photo, Britain’s Prince Harry, left, and his brother, Prince William, right, stand with their grandfather, the Duke of Edinburgh, awaiting the start of the Rugby World Cup final between New Zealand and Australia at Twickenham. Stadium, London. Philip’s grandson, Prince Harry, who resigned from the royal duties last year and now lives in California, will attend the service with other members of the royal family, palace officials said. His wife, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, is pregnant and was advised by her doctor not to undertake the trip.
(AP Photo / Alastair Grant)
Bullen said it was now more important than ever for ‘The Firm’ to set a united front for the grieving queen, who had lost her 73-year-old husband.
“Let’s all hope it’s a catalyst for them to heal,” Bullen said. “Especially for the sake of the Queen. It’s important that all members of the royal family move in the same direction as she enters the platinum anniversary year. So thumbs up that it’s a positive amalgamation.”
This would not be the first time that William (38) and Harry share grief. More than two decades ago, the brothers attended another royal funeral – that of their mother, who died in 1997 at the age of 36.
On Saturday, William and Harry are expected to join the other senior royals and walk behind their grandfather’s coffin as the funeral procession passes through Windsor Castle.
THE DEATH OF PRINCE PHILIP WILL HARRY PRINCE TO UNIT WITH HIS FAMILY SOONER THAN THE EXPECTED AUTHOR CLAIMS
Prince Harry (left) had earlier told Oprah Winfrey that his relationship with older brother Prince William (right) was ‘space’.
(Getty Images)
It was clear at least from 2019 that Harry wanted an interruption from the constraints of the monarchy to create his own story. In that year, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex separated from the Royal Foundation, which was originally set up as the brothers’ joint charity, so they could have their own platform.
The princes’ separate statements this week as a tribute to Philip reflect their personalities and different styles. While William said he and his wife, Kate Middleton, “will continue to do what [Philip] would want and will support the Queen in the years to come, ‘Harry’s tone was much more informal and light-hearted.
The younger brother praised Philip for being ‘true self’ and thanked him for his ‘dedication to grandma’. He also wrote: “While I could go on, I know that at the moment he would say to all of us with beer in hand: ‘Oh, keep going’.”
After Harry and Markle got married in May 2018 in Windsor Castle, the royal family seemed to be welcoming the Duchess of Sussex, a glamorous former TV star. The pair are seen as a fresh young face for the monarchy of an increasingly multicultural nation.
FEEDBACK: PRINCE HARRY REWARD PRINCE PHILIP’S ZOOM CALL WITH QUEEN ELIZABETH II
This image provided by Harpo Productions shows Prince Harry from the left and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, in conversation with Oprah Winfrey.
(AP)
It did not take long before the fairy tale unraveled.
The couple relinquished royal duties last year and eventually settled in California, saying they wanted to escape the racist coverage and unwanted invasion of their privacy by the British media.
Harry admitted to Winfrey that he and his brother were on ‘different paths’.
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Prince William and Prince Harry during happier times.
(Photo by Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)
“I love William very much,” Harry explained. “He’s my brother. We are through hell together. But we are on different paths. ‘
While Harry describes his relationship with William as ‘space’, the prince emphasizes that he will ‘always be there’ for him.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.