Prince William and Prince Harry reunited on Thursday, July 1, at the unveiling of late mother Princess Diana’s memorial statue at Kensington Palace.
The event was held at the Sunken Garden on the castle grounds on what would have been Diana’s 60th birthday. The Duke of Cambridge and the Invictus Games founder commissioned the memorial statue of the Princess of Wales back in 2017.
Prince William and Prince Harry released a lengthy joint statement via Instagram commemorating the occasion. “Today, on what would have been our Mother’s 60th birthday, we remember her love, strength and character — qualities that made her a force for good around the world, changing countless lives for the better,” the pair wrote.
“Every day, we wish she were still with us, and our hope is that this statue will be seen forever as a symbol of her life and her legacy. Thank you to Ian Rank-Broadley, Pip Morrison and their teams for their outstanding work, to the friends and donors who helped make this happen and to all those around the world who keep our mother’s memory alive,” the statement concluded.
A source previously told In Touch on June 25 that William had “zero interest in hanging out with Harry on a social level” at the unveiling. “William and Harry are on the same page about keeping the peace at the unveiling of the Diana statue,” the source added.
“Their inner circle is hoping that it’ll be an opportunity for the boys to reconnect in person. [William] can’t just forgive Harry for throwing the royals under the bus at the flick of a switch. Maybe he’ll feel differently when they come face to face and see each other in person, but it’s looking highly unlikely,” the insider continued.
However, despite their ongoing issues, “Prince Harry and Prince William have communicated about the unveiling of the Princess Diana statue,” a separate source said.
The insider also explained that there will be “an opportunity for them to talk in person either just before and after the unveiling.”
Things have been pretty rocky between the estranged brothers over the last few years. Reports of a royal feud first circulated right before Harry and wife Meghan Markle‘s May 2018 wedding.
Rumors swirled that the former actress made William’s wife, Kate Middleton, cry during a fitting for her daughter Princess Charlotte’s flower girl dress. When Meghan, 39, and Harry announced their decision to step down as senior royals and their move to Los Angeles with their son, Archie, in 2020, things got more heated.
The rift was further deepened when in March 2021, Harry and Meghan’s CBS tell-all interview aired where they spoke about their mental health issues, alleged racism and how they were treated by other members of the royal family.
“We never left the family,” the former actress said, clarifying how they only stepped back from their professional roles. “We were saying, ‘OK, if this isn’t working for everyone, we’re in a lot of pain, you can’t provide us with the help that we need, we can just take a step back. We can do it in a commonwealth country.’ We suggested New Zealand, South Africa.”
Harry chimed in, “It was like, ‘I need to do this for my family.’ This is not a surprise to anybody. It’s really sad that it’s gotten to this point, but I’ve got to do something for my own mental health, my wife’s and for Archie’s, as well, because I could see where this was headed.”
Scroll through the gallery below to see photos Prince William and Prince Harry at Princess Diana’s statue unveiling.