I found it odd that Prince William had not released any kind of formal statement on his grandfather’s passing. I realized that there was some kind of unspoken protocol, with the Queen and Philip’s children all getting their moments to make public statements, but considering William’s position as “future king,” surely he should have been one of the first people to memorialize his grandfather? Instead, it seemed like he was just sitting around in a grump because no one was paying attention to him. Anyhoodle, William has finally released his statement. I find it shady.
“My grandfather’s century of life was defined by service – to his country and Commonwealth, to his wife and Queen, and to our family.
“I feel lucky to have not just had his example to guide me, but his enduring presence well into my own adult life – both through good times and the hardest days. I will always be grateful that my wife had so many years to get to know my grandfather and for the kindness he showed her. I will never take for granted the special memories my children will always have of their great-grandpa coming to collect them in his carriage and seeing for themselves his infectious sense of adventure as well as his mischievous sense of humour!”
“My grandfather was an extraordinary man and part of an extraordinary generation. Catherine and I will continue to do what he would have wanted and will support the Queen in the years ahead. I will miss my Grandpa, but I know he would have wanted us to get on with the job.
Hmmm. “I will always be grateful that my wife had so many years to get to know my grandfather and for the kindness he showed her” – feels like a pointed comment. As does “Catherine and I will continue to do what he would have wanted and will support the Queen in the years ahead.” The Other Brother is definitely engorged with rage at the moment.
Meanwhile, Harry released a statement just minutes after William:
“My grandfather was a man of service, honour and great humour. He was authentically himself, with a seriously sharp wit, and could hold the attention of any room due to his charm—and also because you never knew what he might say next.
“He will be remembered as the longest reigning consort to the Monarch, a decorated serviceman, a Prince and a Duke. But to me, like many of you who have lost a loved one or grandparent over the pain of this past year, he was my grandpa: master of the barbecue, legend of banter, and cheeky right ’til the end.
“He has been a rock for Her Majesty The Queen with unparalleled devotion, by her side for 73 years of marriage, and while I could go on, I know that right now he would say to all of us, beer in hand, ‘Oh do get on with it!’
“So, on that note, Grandpa, thank you for your service, your dedication to Granny, and for always being yourself. You will be sorely missed, but always remembered—by the nation and the world. Meghan, Archie, and I (as well as your future great-granddaughter) will always hold a special place for you in our hearts.”
“Per Mare, Per Terram.”
It’s a lot warmer and more about Philip and the man he was. My guess is that William was like “you have to release this statement AFTER me.” And then Harry effortlessly outclasses William with such a warm and real remembrance.
"My grandfather was an extraordinary man and part of an extraordinary generation."
A message from The Duke of Cambridge following the death of The Duke of Edinburgh: https://t.co/lVCSPrG7uG pic.twitter.com/atiB8djxPO
— The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) April 12, 2021
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, WENN.
the sign off is super sweet on harry’s statement – re: the royal marines. classy as hell.
@ Traci My thought too. A true military man to another true military man. I also love that Harry named the well-known fact that Philip had more than a few public gaffes – but he was also steadfast and carried-through on his job. Even noting that he would be holding a beer – it’s a touch of personality, not imperfection.
I also liked that Harry mentioned the pandemic and how many others have lost loved ones over the past year.
Harry’s statement humanised his grandfather and made him feel understood and relatable. William on the other hand in trying to flex and show off, centred himself, wife and kids. I can’t blame him really as he is used to taking. No fond personal memories, just trying to be ‘statesman’ like and getting lots of flak for it.
For a moment, I felt as if I knew who Philip was from reading Harry’s statement. The past days have been duty, duty, duty and here comes Harry to remind everyone there is love, too. There’s everything in that statement – Philip the soldier, the grandfather, the fun person in the room etc. It’s a stark contrast to the other brother. That was dark.
yep this tweet shows is too
https://twitter.com/DavidPuckridge/status/1381614927077650433
I actually in a way pity W; how can he be so easily outclassed by his brother? why does he feel the need to center everything around HIM?
it is the same disease he and his wife suffer from even in their supposed “charitable” work; it is about THEM not the charity they are visiting…so it always rings empty
William’s is a pure humble brag. Seeee grandpa paid attention to meeeee and my family take that Harry!! It’s like one of those scorekeepibg articles from the DM about when the Queen took whom on an outing.
Dios mio, William can run, he can hide but William will never escape his little brother’s shadow. I mean, he can try but ….All you see on line, everywhere is Harry’s statement. No one is even mentioning William’s, well except the royal rats of course, LOL. William must me lighting up the entire UK with his incandescence, poor little man with his fake tooth.
@BabsORIG — exactly; strangely enough it is Harry’s statement touching people; not W’s
That’s why in a way, I feel sorry for him. I think in his mind, it is him who should be better but somehow his brother so easily outshines him; this is Charles & Diana all over again
Yes, exactly. Harry’s remembrance is sweet, funny, loving, deeply personal, and effortlessly classy.
William used his statement to do what he always does:
•Praise himself
•Throw shade at Harry and Meghan
•Use his children for PR
No surprises that Harry outclassed him once again. No digs made, no propping himself up for how dutiful and stiff upper lip he is, no photos of the children to shield himself, no centering himself as the Queen’s support. He made sure to acknowledge that other people are losing loved ones everyday. He knows how to read the room and remember others, unlike William, who used his grandfather’s tribute to pay tribute to himself.
@Pearl Grey: wow, you’re exactly right— it’s as if he follows a formula. I don’t know how he (or his team) doesn’t see how transparent it is, nor how inappropriate it is to clearly push his agenda in what is supposed to be a memorial statement about his grandfather.
I read William’s tribute and I felt so sad. Sad for him. His grandfather has died and he is paying tribute . What does he do? Throw shade at his brother. Try to show how he is the more dutiful of the two.
What is the BRF going to do with/about him?
This 1000%. I mean he used the statement to centre himself and be petty. I don’t think he knows how to relate to or think about others at all.
Harry’s statement is so warm, genuine, and so much about Philip’s life and he also manages to empathize with those experiencing similar losses. The differences between the brothers is so clear here that it is painful.
W’s tribute was a masterclass in passive aggression.
What I get from Bill’s statement is I, I, I, my wife, my children, me, me and I. It tells me very little about Philip as a grandfather. Harry was more personal, more about the kind of man Philip was and what he valued. Again it shows that the other brother cannot compare.
➕💯 LAUREN. William busy PR messaging and dragging Meghan and Harry. And — as always — Harry, speaking honestly from his heart. The contrast is so obvious. William is all, I, ME, ME, MINE. Harry is all, GRANDPA.
Exactly. Petty William is so very self centered.
Exactly. Quite telling to count the number of times each of them used the word “I” in their respective statements. Overall, William sounds very young in his. It was respectful of Harry to let his older brother go first, although some are charging one-upmanship. With those people, Harry can’t win either way. The battle is on. Makes for great copy, but really it’s very sad. Hopefully Diana’s boys can work it out, but it would take a tremendous effort on William’s part, since he is the one who would have to really look inside and face some difficult truths about himself. Harry has done, and is continuing to do the work. This much is clear.
It IS really sad. Generally it’s enjoyable to drag William for his very obvious BS, but it’s awful — and disappointing— that he couldn’t set aside his issues this one time. Philip was a grandfather to both of them but William clearly just saw this statement as another PR opportunity.
I’d really hoped that William would be able to be a decent human being JUST THIS ONE TIME, but he can’t even do it for a week. It’s incredibly sad that anger seems to override everything for him.
Quite possible that he sees himself as the underdog – despite being older, despite the senior role he may one day hold if the structure still exists. Some may find that hard to believe, but people who see themselves as underdogs find it hard to be generous. They are constantly pointing out their own overlooked virtues, even in inappropriate circumstances. And btw – since H’s statement was released just minutes after his brother’s, I bet he chose to hold it and let his brother go first.
Yep! He made it all about himself.
Next to Harry’s statement William’s sounds clinical and sterile. Very little warmth.
That’s what really jumped out at me too. I, I, I, I…. meantime, Harry’s was focused where it should be: on the deceased.
Harry’s statement brings to mind Barack Obama, in that Harry, here, clearly knows just what to say and how to say it. The fundamental graciousness and the gift of diplomacy of the two men are similar.
Harry has it. And it can’t be taught.
You can tell the Other Brother’s Pr people wrote part of it to go with the picture.
Yep talking as if he’s the only grandchild
Prince William is the Justin Timberlake of the Royal family
BAHAHAHAHAHA
truth.
Hahahahaha yes Angie very true
Lmao! so true!
Excellant comment!! Well done, Angie.
I had to come out of lurk mode just to say: The accuracy.
@Angie-LOL. Your comment is perfection.
Harry wrote a warm and heartfelt statement. His statement was perfection too.
This is my favourite comment of today. I cannot stop laughing. Now I am picturing Willnot jumping all over the cover of People magazine.
Chef’s kiss 💋 comment, Angie
Girl, you just won the Internet with that comment! And you got quoted on Twitter, too! Well done!
Exactly. In Harry’s statement, Prince Philip is the focus, as he should be. William’s message, as usual, centers himself and his wife. When a man must self-aggrandize at all times, even in an eulogizing statement of “grief” for his own grandfather, he shows himself to be that much smaller in mind and spirit.
Sunday, what a lovely and distinctive expression of the characters true lack of sympathy or compassion. Wilileaks is a man with no true love, dedication or empathy of others, only himself.
Exactly what I took from the two statements as well. William’s is all about him, Harry’s is all about Philip. It’s a very telling difference between the two.
Harry’s statement reminded me of the obituary I wanted to write for my grandma when she passed in the summer – warm, classy, and sprinkled with a touch of humour. It’s hard to lose someone you love, even if they are 99 (my grandma was 94).
To be honest, reading Harry’s statement brought me to tears. It was beautiful and laced with emotions. He is gifted with words and his love for his grandfather – for a flawed man – shone through.
His UnMajestic Baldiness’ was so bad and so transparently narcissistic that I rolled my eyes so much, I nearly rolled into another dimension…
Writing teacher here: the constant “I” and “my” really stand out in William’s statement. Compare that to all the “he” and “you” in Harry’s statement.
Harry’s statement is definitely more centered on Phil’s life. William’s on himself.
^ exactly!
Nail on head!
Was coming here to say this. The contrast is very telling.
William had minimal contact with his grandfather; the only connection he could find was that Kate made an effort to get to know him.
(Totally on-brand for the Middletons, always trying to see if they can find allies.)
I side-eyed William’s statement. Too many microaggressions in it for me. But Harry’s…you can tell he loved his Grandpa. There was real affection and an attempt to honor the man in his statement.
Every sentence felt like a dig to his brother. After reading it, I thought, couldn’t he have taken a day off for the funeral? Must he be so cold all of the time? It’s all about him. Thankfully Harry’s statement was released quickly after. It was like a soul cleansing. Very lovely and warm.
Yes, Harry’s statement being released so quickly after Incandescent’s really soothed any anger building up within me. Harry has such a fantastic ability of humanising anybody within that particular moment. It’s a gift.
William needs therapy. That’s all I have to say on that sad little boy.
That was a shameful statement. It’s obvious William is incapable of being civil to Harry. In that case, he should have let someone else write that statement because the bitterness overwhelms. It isn’t about honoring his Grandpa. It’s about getting it potshots at Harry & Meghan. Embiggening of Kate and his kids is weird too. Phillip has other grandkids and great-grandkids.
Side note: this statement is further proof William is raising those kids to think they are superior to their cousins. I’ve no doubt Archie & Princess Montecito would be treated as 2nd class. No ma’am!
People like William see occasions like funerals as a great opportunity for drama and self-aggrandizement.
A man who loved his grandpa wouldn’t have dragged his grandpa’s legacy through the mud for cash and relevance on American television.
With all due respect, William needs therapy quick.
lol honestly. so snide and for what?
William is not a well man. Everything must revolve around him and his rage against his brother for existing must always be center stage. Agree, therapy is long overdue.
I agree. He is sending off such dark energy, and it’s growing exponentially. This is a man who will completely break down if he doesn’t seek help. This is also not a man I would feel comfortable having as King.
Baby that’s exactly it… Dark Energy.
He won’t get it. And if he did, I believe he is one of those people who would simply use what he learned in therapy to manipulate others better. That’s what narcissists do.
Harry’s statement was just like him: warm, personable, respectful, classy and relatable.
Agreed. You can hear his voice in the statement.
William’s statement reads like it was written by a PR team. Harry’s reads like it was written by himself.
William’s statement was so classless because it was so shady – the digs about Philip being able to spend time with his children (knowing full well one of the criticisms of H&M is that they “took Archie away” from the royal family), the comment about his life of service to the country, queen and family, and the final dig about supporting the queen in the years ahead.
Like, I dont know if someone looked it over for him, and if they did, that person should be fired, because its obvious that even when mourning his grandfather he can’t let go of his hatred and jealousy towards Harry. It’s disturbing.
Harry’s statement was wonderful – authentic, warm, and not shady.
Its these kind of things that give me confirmation that the image i have of williams character is 100% correct. A childish, vindictive, spoilt and petty person. I hate that meg had to spend even a second in his presence
I hate that Harry is related to this putz
Cecilia you are spot on! If I ever doubted my poor opinion of William he reinforces it for me repeatedly. He is a small, mean, petty man.
Agreed. I remember a few years ago, I didn’t actively dislike William. I thought he was lazy and incompetent, but I didnt realize what a big a-hole he actually was. I remember when the FlyBe stunt happened, my reaction (and by “my reaction” I mean I either commented on it here or tweeted it to Kaiser or CB) was just “wow. So William really is an asshole.” And now everything we have seen over the past few years just confirms it. He’s vindictive, he’s petty, he’s a bully – he just seems like a horrible person.
I so agree.
“Warm” was the first word that came to mind with Harry’s statement. That was a true heartfelt statement from a grandson to his grandpa that really touched on who Philip actually was. Very sweet and lovely. William’s statement felt like it was wracked with agenda.
You forgot “I will always be grateful that my wife had so many years to get to know my grandfather…” I quite literally recoiled reading that sentence.
Yeah, this part is so shady and gross I’m almost ashamed on William’s behalf that he (or one of his lackeys) wrote it. (Almost, but not quite)
That part was also super shady and I’m like…what is the point? Why are you like this William?
It’s so unnecessary. What good did that line serve? What additional insight does it provide about Philip? It doesn’t even add context to the dynamics of Philip and Kate’s relationship. DId she like him? Did he like her? Did they share a common interest? We all know she has known Philip for years, she’s been with William since college. So what’s the point of adding this line in a tribute if not to say ‘ha ha Meghan didn’t spend a lot of time with him’. So petty.
How patronizing to Kate! What did she so sorely lack that Prince Philip provided?
I also want to add that there is pushback on Twitter about William’s statement, especially the line about “get on with the job.” Last I checked the responses to BBC’s “breaking news” tweet about this were all things like “what job?” “what does he do exactly?”
I had expected the death of Philip to cause an upswelling in support for the royal family and I feel like almost the opposite is happening, which is interesting.
From what I’ve seen here, the British media are all acting like this is a massively important thing that everyone must know about. Like it’s Covid news or something. And people are reacting badly to that, for good reason. Hype backlash. Also, when even the Guardian is trying to whitewash Philip, that’s going to cause more anger. The big British news outlets seem really out of touch.
Harry is able to exude charisma even through a letter. And he managed to provide a fuller picture of who Philip was to his family.
William sounds like a self absorbed prat in his letter.
The one thing i need to complain about is that BBC made the news of each brother releasing their letters a breaking news alert. It really isn’t breaking news and the UK media needs to get a grip.
Yes, the grandchildren did seem like a dig, or trying to go one better over Harry. Jealousy is a terrible thing. William just cannot get over Harry’s popularity. He should learn from the Queen, Margaret was at one time the younger, prettier and more popular sister.
Yes but for her many flaws, I don’t think the Queen is as severely disordered as William. He won’t learn from the Queen, he can’t learn from anything he is a complete narcissistic jerk.
PrincessK, do you really think the Cam children hung out with Philip? I just can’t see it. I think this was put in W’s statement because Harry mentioned Archie running around in zoom calls to his grandparents on the James Cordon video. Wouldn’t he have to put up with Katiedidn’t if the kids were there? I just can’t visualize this.
Especially when Archie, sadly, probably would not have remembered his great-grandfather even if he had been in England for the past year. He’s just too young. Which make it all the more unnecessary and petty.
@Becks, that is exactly what William wanted to say.
Those statements are them to a tee-William is coming across stilted and fake and Harry is warm and inclusive.
William’s is a little weird, and very William-centric. I, I, I, Catherine and I.
Let’s not overlook “my,” “our,” “me,” “my own adult life,” “my wife,” “my grandfather,” “my children,” all the other references to me-me-me.
A lovely and touching statement from Harry. In two months he’s humanized his grandparents better than any PR coming out of the palace.
As for TOB…how pathetic to use your grandfather’s death to center yourself AND throw shade. He and Kate really are garbage in human form. Please note this is the THIRD time these two have exploited a dead person within the span of a month. Vile.
Yes to your whole comment but especially the part about humanizing them. People talk about the damage The Interview did to the reputation of the monarchy, and I do think it hurt the institution, but between Oprah and James Corden, the Queen and Prince Philip looked more human than they have in a long time – the bit about how Philip would just close the laptop, how the Queen sent Archie a waffle maker, Meghan calling her directly to ask about Philip when he was in the hospital, etc. All those tidbits made them look so much better than they have in a long time, and this statement just adds to that.
If you ever wanted to see the exploitation of a dead person, you should take a look at the way Harry has turned his mother into a mascot for his company.
Oh, Bill. You are nothing if not consistent. Give it a rest for ONE damn day. Harry’s statement is heads and shoulders above his in genuine warmth. These two are NOT going be standing next to each other crying on one another’s shoulders, as much as the RRs would like that to be so.
It is amazing how two brothers raised by the same people can end up being so different
H’s statement is about Philip; PwT statement is half about Philip, half about himself. It is incredible how H made Philip look like a normal person!
William’s statement was about the FAMILY. Phillip was part of the family. He wasn’t just an individual, but a -patriarch. Something Simple Red’s supporters wouldn’t understand.
The thing with William is he always put his hierarchical position in the family first. That’s why people don’t connect with him. People don’t know the side of him that is not FFK. It was an occasion to show something a little more personal side of him and he missed the mark again.
Yes. I agree. This is it exactly.
Whenever TOB is public-facing, he apparently cant drop his “I’m-the-FFK” persona for one second, so that folks can see he’s human like the rest of us. Its as if he’s afraid to reveal what he is without the trappings of his king-in-waiting role because then we would all see that he not only suffers from imposter syndrome, but that he also believes he’s an imposter/not up to the task and fears that we all know it.
I don’t think he has a personality beyond I’m the future king. And he’s never had to develop a personality to be honest. There’s just I’m the future king and incandescence rage.
What the philandering, angry side? I don’t think he wants to show that in public!
I like that Harry not only talks about his grandfather’s personal qualities, but also acknowledges that many people have lost family members this year.
It shows how we all pick out the qualities we value most – Harry chooses to emphasize Phillip’s authenticity and wit, while William talks about his sense of duty and longevity. They both mention service, but it’s clear they have different meanings in mind.
Harry and his wife compared living in their multi-million mansion to regular people in quarantine, and those affected by the pandemic. FAIL!
William showed me all I needed to know about him. All the tabloid articles were from him. Without any doubt. He was also the “how dark will Archie be” person. He showed his person and now we all see.
So awesome of Harry to sign off with the Marines slogan. From one serviceman to another!
Lovely statement from Harry. He has made it clear he loves his grandfather and the statement really shows.
As for William’s it’s on the formal side and more emphasis on the future and the royal side of things. I find the picture choice… interesting? Did they not have a picture of Philip with William (and Kate) to use? Did the press demand a new kid pic? I’m just wondering why George and Philip only.
Maybe I am overthinking it.
Sofia- it’s a pic taken by Kate. They probably chose it for the $$$ they’ll get for picture rights.
As for why no William or Kate, I’m guessing Will might not have been there? And Kate can’t be in a picture she took, unless it was a selfie…which is not royal.
I know it’s a picture by Kate but I was wondering if there was any point in the last 10 years where Philip, George and William were together and where Kate could take a picture of them.
Maybe there was and they didn’t want to use it.
I would have thought a picture of William with his own grandfather would have been better. Even if it was one when William was a child. But he’s going to exploit his kids now because it’s all he has.
Yeah, you’d think William would favor a picture of himself with Philip, or even both him and Kate with Philip to drive home the pettiness of his statement. An old photo of Philip and George is odd. Perhaps he wants to emphasize the importance of the heirs in the family.
William comes out hard with a passive-aggressive statement, then affable Harry stands up and puts him on his ass. This is better than an actual fistfight.
I hope Meghan has the biggest smug smile on her face right now.
She is sipping her SuperGolden Latte and quietly grinning into her mug.
If this had been a fist fight Harry knocked William out cold!
Hope they put it on Pay-per-view.
It really is. Almost as good as that infamous obstacle course tiktok.
I don’t know… I like that William acknowledges the fact that he is lucky to have had his grandfather for so long, with all this entails (Kate got to know him and so did their children). I often think about this when people lose their parents/grandparents, because I lost all of them quite young. Also, I don’t think this is a dig to Harry.
Having said that, Harry’s statement is so much warmer and heartfelt, it’s certainly the best of the two.
Agree… I think it shows more of the differences between the brothers’ styles as opposed to shade in every line that everyone is reading into. In many families, death tends to showcase the best and worst of everyone’s personalities.
It sure makes William seem like the odd one out though. The statements from Charles and Anne were great and you could feel the love. Edward and Sophie’s interview comments were also lovely. The vibe of William’s just doesn’t quite feel like that of a loving grandson talking about his grandpa.
Harry made prince Phillip seem like the most charming grandpa!
Not sure what affect William thought he was having with his statement and wish he had run it by someone who’d tell him it’s “not about you, William. Try and focus on the deceased pls”.
Harry is so gifted at saying the right thing. You can’t call someone a racist old bag in a memorial statement, even though we all know that that’s what Philip was and it kind of needs acknowledgment, but also we can’t change our loved ones, especially old loved ones. Harry’s statement is a marvel of hinting to that for those who see him through that lens but also sharing that he was a wonderful grandfather and devoted to his job and his wife (at least in the aristocratic sense).
I have an Uncle who says the most offensive, racist shit ALL the time (and we’re black!). My family is used to it and know never to take it personally. We can laugh at too because, like Harry said about Philip, we would never know what he would say. And he’s had some doozies! But I have shriveled in embarrassment when he does it in public when I’m around and told him to shut it on numerous occasions.
I mean, with elderly relatives what can you even do? At least within the family you may as well laugh (that in public stuff though – I’ve wanted to crawl under the carpet once or twice in my life).
William’s statement sounds very corporate and that it was drafted by committee while Harry’s is more authentic and personal. He’s remembering his grandfather as he was and how he would like to remember him. Meanwhile William is doing what is expected of him by releasing a bland statement.
I can’t wait for this to be over.
William’s statement sounds like someone with an ax to grind and who only knows how to speak his real feelings via the press. Nothing about him is kind or genuine. Just selfishness and hidden agendas on display.
I agree with this, Waterbearer. I also think Harry’s statement gave me a glimpse for the first time of the charming, charismatic energy of the 18 year old Philip in his uniform that the young Elizabeth was dazzled by.
I find that the statement comes at the right time – once his kids have said what they needed and then the grandchildrem come in with the heir first, but last becuase his statement isnt very good and doesnt give us a painting of the man that was PP.
Willie’s statement is completely charmless and cold. Just a salad of words.
Harry’s statement is warm, charming, relatable. you can feel there was a affinitiy between the 2.
What is wrong with William??????? The catherine part is clearly dicdated by kate because she needed to be included in like half the statement… anyway. the writer should be fired (mama middleton?)
William is so shameless omg. He can’t help himself (and is apparently without intelligent advisors). On another, they were so lucky that George was so cute.
William’s statement seems passive aggressive. “Grandpa LOVED my wife and she spent Sooo much time with him unlike Harry’s wife.”
Oh when I read this I thought, guess Carole’s made sure he’s never getting away from Kate then! LOL
Agreed. I mean, that add-in with Kate was totally unnecessary. Meanwhile, Harry includes his wife and children in closing, to say that they will collectively as a family mourn him, but the way Will set up his statement is just odd.
Excuse me but why is 1/2 of the statement from William about remembering his grandpa, about Kate Middleton and their kids??
Was really Prince Phillips greatest achievement in his 99 years as a prince of Greece an GB that he was kind to Kate middleton?
Wow.
Maybe Carole wrote it.
Will Duce’s statement read like it was written by Carole Middleton grandly imagining herself in his place.
Will put as many digs as he cold in his statement. Love how Harry actually focused most of his on Phillip and just a sweet message referencing his family.
Why is William acting like he gives a damn about his wife?? We all know he doesn’t care about her. I feel like he included her in his statement because she’s really just there to make him look like this perfect husband and family man that his father wasn’t. He knows that’s the main reason for his father’s unpopularity with the British public and he’s using his grandfather’s death to take digs at him. He’s so selfish and egocentric.
I think it’s worse that that; IMO he included her to shade his brother and his sister-in-law. With all the digs in this self-centered statement, I can’t blame anyone who’d read it and assume that he’s not THAT broken up about his grandfather’s death. I certainly feel that way.
Right — you know he truly couldn’t give a damn in reality how “nice” Phillip was to Kate, but in his mind sharing this little anecdote makes HIM look better and lets him blow off some steam towards his brother and SIL in one fell swoop. He just can’t help himself.
Exactly. Kate is nothing more than a weapon a crutch or a shield in his eyes, depending upon the situation.
Harry’s statement is so swwet and moving.
Baldimort is such a f——-ing twit, why does he feel the need to take potshots at Harry and his family in a statement to honor his grandpa.
Harry’s statement is like him , sweet and funny. William’s statement is very future, future kingly, lol. And of course full of of me, me, me!
Tin foil tiara theory: I really wonder if Kate visited PP and maybe even TQ on her own with the kids while Wills went gardening?
It would explain why they didn’t have a pic taken by Kate of Phil and Will and why Wills emphasized how nice Phil was to Kate and the kids.
I know we never hear about Kate and TQ and she sorta snubbed them at the Choo Choo thing, but what if that is just because of displeasure with Will? What if we never hear about Kate and TQ because it would expose Will?
I don’t know. I think if she was visiting the Queen on her own without Will, she would have more of a connection with her and Liz wouldn’t have looked straight thru her at the Choo Choo Tour finale as if she didn’t even exist.
Rapunzel, I said this above. I can’t see Philip spending much time with Katiedidn’t. People said he was witty. In my experience (generally speaking) people who are witty are also intelligent. I can’t see Philip spending time with the children and having to put up with Kate. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if he rather despised her in his own way.
There was always talk of how close Sophie was to the Queen, and how easy it was for her and the kids to see her when she was at Windsor, since Bagshot is nearby. If Kate had been spending a lot of time with the Queen or Philip, we likely would have heard about it. Can’t imagine Carole missing a press opportunity like that.
I think this is a very stark contrast of the brothers. William’s is very dry, dour, and sufficient vs Harry’s which is charming, warm and humanizes his grandfather. It could be attributed to the heir having to be dutiful and responsible, and the spare being free to be more expressive, but it also shows that Harry inherited from his mother the ability to connect with people as well as Harry’s done more writing on behalf of his patronages and military roles so his statement feels more personal and less PR-y.
I think it’s down to their personalities and nature rather than the heir-spare dynamic. Charles was far warmer than William in his tribute, and to say he and Philip had a complicated relationship is an understatement. There is just something truly rotten about William as a person.
Will’s really isn’t sufficient though. It’s cold, self-absorbed, and passive-aggressive.
You cant fake authenticity. Though Will certainly keeps trying…
William is not well. I like Harry’s sign off.
💯 agree. William is very not well and obsessed with hurting his brother. Every time he opens his mouth it shows that Harry was smart to leave. I would move my family to Mars to get them away from this jerk.
I think Willie his heading for a total breakdown. His behaviour is obsessive and cruel. Harry wants to ‘inspire’, William wants to ‘control’, that’s the difference between them.
I wonder why William is enabled so much tho? Is it to keep him happy? Cos I don’t believe for one second that anyone in any of the palaces think William is capable of being a good king. I think they know he’s a non-starter, hence why they need harry so much.
The photo posted with the statement on twitter – is there just the 1 pic of Phillip with George? None of the Charlotte and Louis? Just Phillip and the heir?
It’s probably the one time any of the Cambridge kids rode in a carriage with him. William’s statement aside, I doubt the Cambridge kids had a lot of contact with Philip, even when he was at Sandringham – Philip was already 92 when George was born, and then obviously older as the other two were born. Remember people weren’t even sure he was going to attend either Harry or Eugenie’s wedding bc of health issues? Are we really supposed to believe he was clowning around with the Cambridge kids on a regular basis?
Absolutely not. This is just William trying to centre himself around the narrative, thus exploiting another dead person who is no longer in the capacity to clapback. We saw this with Kate last month and now this with William. They are not well people. I also hate the fact they were focusing solely on George with the carriage picture. Those two other kids are in for a life of misery by the looks of it.
Shame on William & Kate.
TheDuchess – yup, that stood out to me too, that it was a picture of George with Prince Philip. I think that’s part of what makes it so weird to me. If it was a picture of all three kids with PP, or even George and Charlotte (maybe taken before Louis was born) I think it would not strike me as odd a photo choice as it does. It seems like one more way of elevating George.
I actually wondered if the carriage picture was photo shopped. Why would George be displaying an open book after climbing up in a carriage, or even be dressed up like that? He’s also not looking at the photographer, supposedly his mother, although Philip is. The unlikely book pose makes me think photo shop.
William centered himself in the statement while Harry focused on the man and his service to the country. Not really surprising. I get the sense that Harry put a lot of thought into what he wanted to say and it was good that he mentioned the pandemic.
Harry”s tribute to Prince Philip is so warm & heartfelt. It made Philip who was so polarizing, just seem human, decent, dedicated & much loved by Harry & family. I can’t believe the media in the UK believe Harry to be the dunce of the family. He is not only emotionally intelligent & intellectually curious, but also articulate, warm, & charming.
Contrast Harry’s letter with William’s self-aggrandizing “Me, me, me, I, I, I,” passive-aggressive, shady letter, and wow. Deep down inside, despite their denials, the U.K. knows exactly what they truly lost in Harry. It kills them that they are stuck with the other brother.
This is why they are carrying on like lunatic banshees, and are now salivating at the thought of getting fresh pics of Harry this week and at the funeral. They lost, BIG TIME, when the Sussexes finally said enough and noped out of there. Will and Kate will always come up short, in every way.
William is the worst honestly. I hope the Monarchy is abolished before he ever gets crowned.
Every single sentence in the Other Brother’s statement is I, Me, My
Harry’s is almost all He.
The difference.
I got choked up reading Harry’s statement. It’s so full of love. Prince William exposes himself every time he opens his mouth. His statement makes the Duke of Edinburgh a supporting player in his own death. Baldileaks and the British media that regularly prop him up are using an old man’s death to make themselves look good and punish Harry for choosing a happy life far away from them.
Reading Will’s statement, I wonder if he ever met Philip. It could have been written about any long-term employee; there were no personal glimpses, no stories, no mention of his hobbies other than “when he would collect my children on his carriage.”
Harry, on the other hand, balanced the public/personal sides of Philip; in a few short paragraphs, he painted a picture of a gruff, but loving man who was unapolgetically himself and who enjoyed simple pleasures while understanding and being committed to his public, pagentry-filled role.
Yeah William’s statement seems full of shade towards Harry & Meghan. Basically reads as Kate& Will haven’t abandoned the queen & duties like Harry has. Kate was embraced by Philip the family unlike some.. Philip spent lots of time with William’s kids unlike some.. (why do I think that famous picture with the Queen & Philip meeting Archie bothered some?) Even Robert Lacey & some royal reporters are saying how some comments seem quite pointed.
I tend to think a lot of this rift is press/courtier driven but this was pretty direct& petty. I feel sorry for him.
Harry’s statement was much warmer & he’s always been good at humanising the royals. You get that Philip could be the grandparent that makes you cringe & can be blunt (and much more but a tribute isn’t the time to call out his bigotry) but also fun and charming. Stuff like this shows is an example of how Harry was a great asset to the firm and why they are still having meltdowns about his departure.
That picture of Philip, the Queen, Doria, Meghan, & Harry with a newborn Archie was beautiful. People always made excuses for Philip’s casual racism as being a product of his time, but looking at that picture of Prince Philip’s genuine, big old smile looking down at Archie made me consider that he may have mellowed/ wised up a little in his old age and was genuinely happy to welcome little Archie to the family. Pimp mama Middleton’s puckered lemon face must have been a sight when she saw that pic.
@Keri, both PP and TQ looked so excited to meet Archie. That picture seems to really show typical grandparents meeting their new great-child and being happy for their grandson. I think they really liked Meghan and were pleased for Harry on a personal level; both sides worked hard to keep the familial bond strong. Unfortunately, that same unity and love wasn’t shown in public.
Harry wrote a very personal and touching tribute to his grandfather. I think he understands more than anyone else there that his role in the royal family is now as a private family member. As for Williams statement, yes it’s a bit shady, and just overly long and repetitious. I have no problem with his emphasis on duty, that is his future role, and it is important to the royals to stress it. However, he was definitely being shady and shouldn’t be using his tribute for that purpose. It gives me the impression it is Will that never wanted to deal directly with Harry, not the other way around. Always innuendos and speaking through others. Of course both brothers will grieve for their grandfather, and how they wrote their tributes show how they see themselves and their role in that family.
The thing is Anne, who works the most od any of them, showed there can be a middle ground with emotional sentiment and talk of duty and service. He should’ve taken her lead instead being so obviously petty. I know this will play with the royalists but i think this will backfire with more neutral observers or those who like the monarchy generally and have an ok viee of William.
I agree. Anne provided a statement that was a bit more formal, but she wasn’t shading everyone in it like William did to Harry.
Im honestly shocked at how petty and pathetic William’s statement is. We all know he as a person is petty and pathetic but what comms person allows their principal to release a statement like this? Literally every person that saw this statement and allowed it to be sent out should be fired.
Harry’s statement in comparison is much more focused on Philip himself and who he was and i found it striking that while he does go on about service at the top that in the last paragraph when he speaks informally about his “Grandpa” he talks about Philip’s devotion to the Queen in a way that seems to not be talking about duty but about love and that speaks volumes to me. We all know that Harry greatly admired his grandfather and one way we’ve seen him following in his footsteps was his military career, which Harry nicely gave a nod to in the last line, but he also is showing admiration here for the way Philip stood by and supported Elizabeth as her husband. That even though there were a myriad of stories about his philandering he still always supported her when she needed it. Of course Harry, a man who actually loves and supports his wife, would make sure to put an extra emphasis on that.
He’s done a much better job of humanizing his grandparents than anyone else bar the York girls and Zara who also talk about them in a normal manner.And the thing is we know the Firm getsa lot of mileage out of this BS “the Queen is the grandmotber of the nation” crap. If the Firm was smart they’d bury the hatchet with him and allow him to speak kindly and fondly of the rest of them like he does his grandparents but obviously these people aren’t smart.
I imagine Harry greatly admired his father’s devotion to his grandmother (whether that was more duty or love-driven) and likens it in a way to his own devotion to his own wife (which is clearly rooted in love, but it’s still devotion to your life mate nonetheless).
I really appreciate Harry not mentioning the Commonwealth. I have had it up to here with all these stories about ‘devoted servant to the Commonwealth’. Former colonies do NOT benefit from their relationship with these people. Instead, Harry focused on his grandfather’s personality and their relationship, and that makes the statement authentic.
I remember watching Harry and William having to publicly endure Diana’s loss. No matter who you are, losing a loved one hurts. But I see Diana’s heart in Harry. Phillip lived an amazing life and clearly he will be missed by his family.
In the old days, the courtiers would have released Harry’s brilliant statement, attached Baldy’s and Doormat’s names to it allowing them to benefit from Harry’s goodness in the eyes if the public. This is why Harry’s leaving is devastating for them. Everyone can clearly see who the true statesman and king is. William’s statement is awful. Just awful. What a petty insecure little prick he is.
Megalomania Definition: obsession with the exercise of power, especially in the domination of others; delusion about one’s own power or importance (typically as a symptom of manic or paranoid disorder).
That’s about as William as it gets.
I love Harry’s tribute; William’s is snotty. I also love that Meghan, Archie and Baby Girl Sussex is mentioned. Harry’s tribute is a shot across the bow to the BM, politician, and talking head who continues to trash him and Meghan: I am still with my wife and kid(s); I am not abandoning them to come back and be the FFK’s scapegoat/whipping boy; I like being my own man and not someone’ s b like TOB.
Did Prince Philip even care for Kate? In all the years she’s been a member of the Royal Family, there are no moments with Kate or interactions at family events. Kate is laughing hysterically and being extra, but no one in the family ever joins in.
No one ever joins in Kate’s guffaws or gurning or whatever that teeth flashing stunt is.
LOL omg William will never learn. He’s such an idiot. Harry is running rings around him by just being himself.
William really centered it on himself. He used “my grandfather” so many times that I read it in the trump spawn’s voice – they’re always emphasizing my father, my father that.
Harry’s was more personable and painting an enduring picture of his grandfather.
William’s stupid statement about Kate having so many years to get to know Philip strikes me as also a dig against Eugenie and Beatrice whose husbands are being supposedly left off the guest list due to not knowing Philip that long. It’s like, “Haha cousins, Philip knew my wife longer than yours.” Raspberries. The Cambridges just can’t stop making things awkward.
Also, excuse me but what are the dark days specifically that William is referring to in his statement? Surely he means the dark days that Philip was there for him after the death of his mother Diana? Why not say so? I think Will left it purposely ambiguous so the Daily Mail readers will think he’s referring to Sussexit and continue to blame Harry for Will’s hard life. This statement reads like it is from a petulant whiner through and through.
As for Harry’s, well, what Grandpa wouldn’t want to be named Master of the Barbeque? I’m afraid the public comparisons of the two very different messages will leave Baldimort raging again today.
William’s statement feels deeply strange. It gives me something of the same feeling the Wootton letter did, which makes me think more that William or his people wrote most of that thing as well.
Harry’s, on the other hand, is good. He says nice, relatable things about his grandfather without making it seem that he thinks “grandpa” was perfect. It makes me see the humanity that this family has always tried to hide, to their extreme detriment.
I agree with you. William seems to keep spiraling.
That letter was one of the creepiest things I have ever read, and it was filled with personal info about Williams feelings. It’s obvious William gave the transcript and wotten rewrote it into a letter TO him instead of FROM him. I am sensing a deeper issue going on with William.
Harry’s statement is lovely. It may also be list on you Americans/ non-Brits here but “legend of banter” is the epitome of a type of upper class humour and seen as a way of excusing bad and offensive behaviour in the name of “bantz”.
My elder dad had a gift, well, f you can call it a gift, he was soooo good at putting nicknames on people. It was funny and sometimes offensive, and he had to take it because , as we say in my country, “el que se lleva se aguanta” , something like that saying “it you can’t take the heat, stay out of the kitchen”.
I think those sharp eyes and tongue came from something that is becoming a lost art, observation, that daily contact with many other people. I totally Understand how offensive it could be, but he was a riot, too and I love him.
I understand Harry in that sense. One can see our loved ones for what they are, and still love them, magybenot accept all those facets, but still love.
William, oh, he thinks he is so smart and shady. PR Rookie. let him dig his own pr grave.
That was definitely a dig at Meghan-I am so glad you had many years to get to know Katherine-A very ugly dig at Harry’s relationship with Meghan.
PS-One of the posters above stated that Meghan should have a smile on her face for the warm and relatable statement Harry wrote about his grandfather-I am proud how he made his grandfather seem more than a consort for the queen-that statement showed his grandpa as a human being with flaws-but he loves him dearly.
Wow, what a chilling contrast. William is rally something, and not in a good way. At all.
There’s an awful lot of ‘I’s’ and ‘will’s’ in Will’s statement!
Well, it’s obvious which brother was genuinely close to his grandpa and which one just used the occasion for point-scoring.