The palace has discreetly found a buffer to walk between the two royals as they escort the coffin to St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle: cousin Peter Phillips.
Of course, palace representatives aren’t commenting about whether the separation was purposeful, but we are reading between the lines that William and Harry haven’t brokered peace just yet. “We’re not going to be drawn into those perceptions of drama or anything like that,” an anonymous palace spokesman told AP News. “This is a funeral and the arrangements have been agreed and they represent Her Majesty’s wishes.”
Also adding to the spectacle of family dynamics was the wardrobe decision. Since Harry has been stripped of his honorary military titles after stepping down as a senior royal, the monarchy avoided a major debacle by deciding to have all of the family members in civilian clothing. This avoids the awkward conversation about Prince Andrew being allowed to keep his military honors despite being retired from public life due to his sordid association with Jeffrey Epstein. The royals don’t need any further hypocrisy at the funeral.
When will the brothers sit down to discuss their differences, though? It will possibly be after they honor their grandfather’s legacy and away from the prying eyes of royal experts and the media. There’s a lot of ground to cover, but hopefully, they will find a way to get the conversation started in time to unify for Princess Diana’s statue unveiling on July 1. Right now, that seems like a monumental task.