Prince Harry Was 'Scarred' by Princess Diana's Experience as a Working Royal
Princess Diana's tragic death greatly impacted the lives of her two sons, Prince Harry and Prince William, and her upcoming birthday might not help the brothers end their yearslong feud.
"Harry was scarred by what his mother went through, and when he saw the same thing happening to Meghan, he knew he must act," a source told an outlet, referring to Harry's wife, Meghan Markle. "He’s certain his mother would have approved of him leaving the royal family. Diana had tried to do the same, and he thinks she would be proud of him and his new life."
"Diana’s birthday is painful for Harry and William both," they added of the important milestone. "For Harry, he thinks about what could have been, and William is reminded of being without her from such a young age. The loss of their mother cuts deep."
Diana's passing influenced Harry's decision to leave the U.K., as the Duke of Sussex told Oprah Winfrey he was worried about the Duchess of Sussex and Prince Archie's safety.
"My biggest concern was history repeating itself and I’ve said that before on numerous occasions, very publicly," Harry told the talk show host. "And what I was seeing was history repeating itself. But more, perhaps. Or definitely far more dangerous because then you add race in and you add social media in."
"And when I’m talking about history repeating itself, I’m talking about my . . . my mother," the prince clarified.
OK! previously reported royal biographer Katie Nicholl discussed how Harry's recent absence from Hugh Grosvenor's wedding was a reflection of his strained relationship with the Prince of Wales.
"Relations between the Sussexes and the Wales remains at an all-time low," Nicholl said. "I'm told that William and Harry really are not even on speaking terms."
"There's a big society wedding in the U.K. tomorrow, and both brothers were invited," Nicholl shared. "Harry very diplomatically declined the invite, because he knew it would just be too awkward for him to be even in a venue as large as Chester Cathedral with his brother."
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According to Nicholl, Grosvenor is "close friends of both William and Harry. In fact, he's godfather to [their children], Prince Archie and to Prince George. So I think he was in a very difficult position when it came to invitations, and of course, seating plans and everything else."
Harry and William haven't been photographed in the same room since King Charles' coronation, and the siblings are believed to have minimal contact with each other after the release of Spare.
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Harry visited London in May for the Invictus Games' 10th anniversary, but he failed to reunite with William and Charles.
"Harry's visit to the U.K. has done nothing to repair royal relations – Harry has been very publicly snubbed by his father and brother,'' Tom Quinn told an outlet. "Despite being stricken with cancer King Charles says he is too busy to see his son; Harry's brother doesn't even bother to issue an excuse."
"He says nothing. It is as if Harry no longer exists," he added. "There's been no obvious criticism from either side, but the silence from William is deafening."
Sources spoke to Star.