Last week, we learned that Prince Harry made a secret/unannounced trip back to the UK, specifically to attend Robert Fellowes’ funeral. The British media had no idea he was even in the country, and it definitely feels like Prince William and his office spent 48 hours briefing all manner of insanity to their media allies once they learned Harry made a brief visit. I was focused on how Harry visited, and I assumed the trip was quietly facilitated by the Spencers. I even suggested that Harry might have stayed at the Spencers’ estate, Althorp. I was right – People Magazine confirmed that Harry stayed with the Earl Spencer (his uncle Charles) at Althorp during his visit last week. Meanwhile, the Daily Beast’s sources claim that the Spencers are part of the plot to, like, bring Harry “back” and get him to reconcile with his horrid brother.
Friends of Princess Diana’s birth family, the Spencers, have told The Daily Beast that Prince William agreeing to attend Robert Fellowes’ funeral service in the knowledge that Prince Harry would be there has “cast a glimmer of hope in an otherwise deeply depressing impasse.” The clan are also “working hard to get the brothers to reconcile.”
One friend of the Spencers, one of Britain’s oldest and most noble aristocratic families, told The Daily Beast: “It was probably always going to be a funeral that brought the boys together under one roof, and the fact that William didn’t boycott it because Harry was going to be there has cast a glimmer of hope in an otherwise deeply depressing impasse. They both adore Jane [Princess Diana’s elder sister, Lady Jane Fellowes, Robert’s widow], and it’s absolutely right that they were both there out of respect to her. It’s an important recognition of the fact that blood is thicker than water. It’s a mature, promising sign that their private disagreements are not going be allowed to overshadow important family events.”
Another friend and neighbor of the Spencers told The Daily Beast: “Behind the scenes, the Spencers have been working hard to get the brothers to reconcile. They understand William’s hurt at Harry’s betrayal, but they also understand Harry’s position because of the way Diana was treated by the Windsors.”
Referring to Robert’s role as a key advisor and private secretary to the queen in the years before and after Diana’s death, which often set him in opposition to his wife’s birth family, the source said: “Robert and Jane had to navigate between those loyalties their whole life.”
The friend added: “Harry is still very close to his mother’s family. If anyone can mediate between the brothers it will be Jane.”
Both friends said they did not know if Harry had tried to speak to William either in person or by phone after the service for Robert. However, they said they thought it unlikely. It is understood that the most recent communication from Harry—a note wishing Princess Kate a speedy recovery from cancer—went unanswered by William and Kate. Friends of William accuse Harry and his wife Meghan Markle of continuing to deliberately antagonize them, for example by refusing to call the Princess of Wales by her preferred name, Catherine.
“The fact that William didn’t boycott it because Harry was going to be there has cast a glimmer of hope…” Yeah, I have two theories. First theory: William did go to the funeral but he had no idea that Harry would be there, so it wasn’t about “William threatening to boycott.” Second theory: William wasn’t there and this has all been Kensington Palace’s furious retcon. I also don’t really believe that the Spencers care that deeply about William and Harry’s reconciliation. There was a real shift, as William got older and balder, that he became a creature of the institution. He was “Windsorized” in ways that Harry has never been.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
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- The Duke of Cambridge and Duke of Sussex arrive for the unveiling of a statue they commissioned of their mother Diana, Princess of Wales in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, London, on what would have been her 60th birthday. Picture date: Thursday July 1, 2021. .,Image: 619024523, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533 42 89, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon
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- (left to right) Guy Monson, a member of the statue committee, the Duke of Sussex, the Duke of Cambridge and garden designer Pip Morrison, during the unveiling of a statue they commissioned of the Dukes’ mother Diana, Princess of Wales, in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, London, on what would have been her 60th birthday. Picture date: Thursday July 1, 2021. .,Image: 619024558, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533 42 89, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon
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- Earl Spencer at the unveiling of a statue of his sister, Diana, Princess of Wales, in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, London, on what would have been her 60th birthday. Picture date: Thursday July 1, 2021. .,Image: 619024591, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533 42 89, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon
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- Earl Spencer is greeted by his nephews the Duke of Cambridge (right) and Duke of Sussex (left) as he arrives for unveiling of a statue they commissioned of their mother Diana, Princess of Wales, in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, London, on what would have been her 60th birthday. Picture date: Thursday July 1, 2021. .,Image: 619024740, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533 42 89, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon
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- The Duke of Cambridge (right) and the Duke of Sussex during the unveiling of a statue they commissioned of their mother Diana, Princess of Wales, in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, London, on what would have been her 60th birthday. Picture date: Thursday July 1, 2021.,Image: 619146819, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533 42 89, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon
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- The Duke of Cambridge (right) and Duke of Sussex ahead of the unveiling of a statue they commissioned of their mother Diana, Princess of Wales, in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, London, on what would have been her 60th birthday. Picture date: Thursday July 1, 2021.,Image: 619146837, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533 42 89, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon
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- The Duke of Sussex with his uncle Earl Spencer, at the unveiling of a statue of his mother Diana, Princess of Wales, in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, London, on what would have been her 60th birthday.,Image: 619146847, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533 42 89, Model Release: no, Credit line: Dominic Lipinski / Avalon
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- Guests arrive to attend a ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games, at Saint Paul’s Cathedral, London Featuring: Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer Where: London, United Kingdom When: 08 May 2024 Credit: Cover Images
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- Guests arrive to attend a ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games, at Saint Paul’s Cathedral, London Featuring: Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer Where: London, United Kingdom When: 08 May 2024 Credit: Cover Images
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- Guests attend a ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games, at Saint Paul’s Cathedral, London Featuring: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex Where: London, United Kingdom When: 08 May 2024 Credit: Cover Images
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- Guests attend a ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games, at Saint Paul’s Cathedral, London Featuring: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex Where: London, United Kingdom When: 08 May 2024 Credit: Dutch Press Photo/Cover Images **NOT AVAILABLE FOR PUBLICATION IN THE NETHERLANDS OR FRANCE**
The only reason I think William didn’t attend the funeral is because this would have leaked much earlier. Well, that and the royal roaches openly pleading with people in the area for deets.
I have the Daily Beast in the same column as The Daily Mail and The Sun at this point.
I’m right there with you. There was absolutely no way William knew Prince Harry would attend this funeral and didn’t leak it, none. Just the massive campaign of leaks after the fact tell a story of their own. And the fact that Prince Harry was at this funeral but the papers didn’t know till end of the funeral etc, also confirm that William was not in attendance. Otherwise, pictures and the leaks would have been from William and his men right during the funeral ceremony, not after. So, I’m convinced 100010% that William was not in attendance.
LOL at the daily beast and “friends of the” fill in the blanks any way you like after that catch phrase. It’s just a joke now, and so sad to see how the DB allowed this loser Tom Skanks to turn a once credible sauce of news to William’s garbage spewing lapdog, SMDH
What would KP have gotten out of leak ing that Harry attended though? I agree they would have leaked it sooner if it was something that would make Harry look bad in the press, but I don’t really think leaking that Harry traveled to attend his uncle’s funeral would make Harry look bad in any way, so I don’t think there was any motivation for KP to leak that Harry attended?
@bonobochick … LOL! ‘The Royal Roaches’ … I LOVE it! 🙂
I don’t believe that the Spencer family want him to make nice with Peg. They know what the royal family did and is doing to Harry so no they aren’t wanting him to reconcile.
The Spencer family is more aristocratic blue blood than the Windsors. Charles Spencer has made his disgust at the Windsors clear. IMO, there is no way they are pushing for a reconciliation. They will be cheering Harry escaping like Diana wished to.
What does it mean when people say the Spencer’s are more blue blood than the Windsors,but how do you get more blue blood/aristocratic than the actual Royals?
The Windsors are a recent family addition to England from their origins in Germany. The Spencers have been English aristocrats since the 16th century.
The Spencers are direct descendants of Mary Boleyn, the sister of Anne Boleyn, famously the wife of Henry VIII. The line goes from Mary to Catherine Carey, who married Francis Knollys. The Knollyses were prominent courtiers and advisors to Elizabeth I, their cousin. Their daughter, Lettice Knollys, married Walter Devereaux, Earl of Essex and Elizabeth’s favorite. Their granddaughter married into the Spencer family.
The Spencer line was established in the late 1400s. John Spencer was admired for his canny management of his lands. He eventually established a home at Althorp — and the Spencers have held that land since the early 1500s. Through marriage and other alliances, they’re related to the Churchills (yes, those Churchills), the Marlboroughs, and a number of other noble English families.
Charles is descended from the Hanovers, German family that continued to marry German and Danish princesses even though they ruled England, the Saxe-Coburg-Gothas, German and Belgian, and the Battenbergs (who changed their name to Mountbatten to seem more English). His grandparents, Elizabeth II and Philip, are only sort of English. Elizabeth was descended from the Hanovers and a bunch of European princesses, and Philip was Danish and Greek. Diana Spencer’s lineage made Harry and William more English than Charles.
Diana’s family isn’t hoping for WillNot and Harry to reconcile. The Spencer family knows the vile Windsor clan is capable of anything, even murder, to get their way.
At Diana’s funeral, Charles Spencer made his feelings for Charles and his family quite clear:
“She would want us today to pledge ourselves to protecting her beloved boys William and Harry from a similar fate and I do this here Diana on your behalf. We will not allow them to suffer the anguish that used regularly to drive you to tearful despair.
And beyond that, on behalf of your mother and sisters, I pledge that we, your blood family, will do all we can to continue the imaginative and loving way in which you were steering these two exceptional young men so that their souls are not simply immersed by duty and tradition, but can sing openly as you planned.”
The Spencers filled in the blanks of the royal pedigree by being descended from the Stuarts . I think Elizabeth and co have some Tudor ancestry but no Stuart blood at all .
I disagree that Harry wasn’t Windsorized. He was, he knew it, and was in the process of disassociating with the cult when he met Meghan and she helped him take the final step. I don’t think a single member of the Spencer family thinks he did the wrong thing.
No Harry was not “Windsorised” in the same sense William was. That’s why their mother Princess Diana always made up for how the Windsors were always othering Harry. Like all other spares before him, Harry was neglected and was thought to never become anything, so he was paid no attention. Because no one thought to pay any attention to him, thinking the seeds they had sown against him since he was a child (Harry is dumb while William is the smart one, Harry is the party prince while William is otherwise, etc, etc) would be enough to ruin him and mold him into what they wanted him to be, you know a depressed alcoholic sorry state of a person, they never thought of Windsorising him, they felt no need to. All effort was put into Windsoring William because he was the one that would once become king.
I believe with all my heart, that Harry would have left the cult once his grandmother passed on, Meghan or no Meghan. I think his marrying a WOC and the treatment they received after that just speeded up the decision-making process for him. He is on record, saying countless times, that he was gonna leave but stayed because his grandmother convinced him to. Meghan did not make him do anything; I don’t think she has it in her heart to do that. But she and their child gave him reason to leave sooner rather than later.
I never said Meghan “made” Harry do anything. Harry, himself, admits to living inside the Windsor bubble.
“They understand Williams hurt at Harry’s betrayal ” this is what tells me that this story is wishful thinking bs. In addition to all the friends and family sources. These people are really grasping at straws in their efforts to convince themselves and their dumb readers that there is the vague chance of Harry returning to that hell hole.
I don’t believe the Spencers need Harry to reconcile with William. However, does William want the Spencers to absolutely do as he says? That I believe.
(And I don’t believe William was at the funeral at all.)
💯
“ They understand William’s hurt at Harry’s betrayal, but they also understand Harry’s position because of the way Diana was treated by the Windsors.”
Harry’s betrayal? So they totally wipe out the years of horrible abuse Meghan received? And Archie too.
Harry’s position is because of how his mother was treated? That’s just a part of it. Harry’s position is because of how his WIFE and CHILDREN were and still are treated by the very toxic British media. Remember Jeremy Clarkson’s article? That man is still celebrated in the UK.
I think it bothers William that there is literally NOTHING that he can offer the Spencers that will make them sit in his camp. They’re just not interested in his future hat party, or any of the bullcrap that goes with it all.
Charles Spencer has previously expressed his regret at not doing more for his sister when she was alive, which likely explains why in death he is doing what he can for her son by providing shelter and sanctuary when needed. He has also provided Diana with a safe final resting place.
William has made little to no effort with them, whereas Harry and Meghan attended his cousins wedding just a few weeks his own wedding. The pictures also show how warmly Meghan was received by the Spencers. Harry is clearly close to the Spencers but the press have zero insiders in that relationship and William seemingly has ZERO leverage to try and force them into his camp. I may be wrong but I have seen ZERO pics of William with the Spencer children after about 25. Also the Spencer children seem to associate and socialise with a much more diverse crowd for your typical Aristo.
I also think Charles Spencer’s recent book shows just how much the Spencers are committed to healing their own generational curses, so they’re on a vastly different trajectory to William and Kate who seem busy traumatising their own children.
If the Spencers were actively trying to reconcile PH & PW, they would have had their chance while PH was staying at Althorp. So where are the reports of what they “actively” did? I’m sure that if PW could have managed it, he would have had PH banned from attending or treated poorly when he did attend.
I do wonder if William attended at all now.
In retrospect that exclusive with the vicar saying he saw and shook hands with both brothers feels like KP damage control.
Yeah, the vicar saying he shook hands with William and that William thanked him is the only thing that makes me think William was actually there. Is the vicar lying for the crown? That would be a mess.
We are dealing with the BM and the lie all the time.
Unless the Vicar go on the record, all bets are off.
He wouldn’t be the first man of the cloth to outright lie about Prince Harry, so as far as I’m concerned his words mean nothing. I can see KP lying to the public it is what they have always done and gotten away with until the “kill notification” was issued and they were exposed publicly for their lies and manipulations. No one is going to correct KPs statements about Peggy’s attendance because the rota won’t allow it and unless Prince Harry issues a statement we won’t know for sure either way.
Do we know the name of the vicar, or is this another version of “friends” of the brothers.
Reverend Dan Tansey
I don’t think the Vicar would lie, he could easily say ‘no comment’ I’m happy to believe that they were both there in different parts of the Church.
Oh that is new info to me. Yeah, it makes me think that William was actually there but bolted as soon as possible afterwards because he didn’t know Harry was going to be there.
The Daily Beast is definitely one of the pubs that Wills leaks to so this might be a retcon/attempt at salvaging. I’m sure some of them would like the brothers to reconcile but are aware of the realities on the ground.
I think People mag also had the quote from the vicar so it wasn’t just something from the british press.
I can believe William was there; I don’t think he had any idea Harry was attending until MAYBE 5 minutes before, but more likely just when Harry showed up in the church. If he knew with any kind of notice, he would have leaked it.
The Church of England are the Tory Party/ Establishment at Prayer so yes the Vicar would lie if Charles or even William were to order it.
Also a Rota r*t would happily print those lies in full knowledge that a Vicar would not wade into the Horse sh!t
The vicar purposely made a joke about his poor eyesight so if it comes out months later that he shook the hand of some bald guy and mistook it for William ima laugh hard. Till then, I guess I’m giving the vicar the benefit of the doubt. He went on record to say it and put his name to it so he better be a truth-teller😂
William is the future head of the Church of England so yes this vicar in a small town church might cover for him. Also check out the website for the church in Snettingham and there is a photo of Charles attending as part of their promo reel.
Good to hear the Spencers supported Harry again.
I highly doubt they would involve themselves in any attempt at reconciliation though, especially seeing that Bulliam has no reason to feel hurt or betrayed — as he was the person fighting Harry in his own house, pushing him, causing H to fall onto the dog bowl.
We all saw the Spencers at the statue unveiling — or at the Invictus service at St. Paul’s — and it didn’t look like they were particularly close to Billy Idle Parker Bowles in the garden at KP.
This tag line pisses me off every time …
“They understand William’s hurt at Harry’s betrayal, but they also understand Harry’s position because of the way Diana was treated by the Windsors.”
William BETRAYED Harry! And they pointedly exclude Meghan. What they really want to write is William is the back stabber
There is a strong chance that Cain didn’t attend to funeral, there is no way he would not have leaked, that Harry was in the church on the spot.
Spencers trying to get the brothers together, I call BS on that.
The Spencers have been supporting Harry and Meghan quietly, who turned up at IG 10th Anniversary, when Chucky held a garden party and ordered his dependents to attend, proving he was snubbing Harry.
Only for his party to smell like a sewer and Harry getting a rousing welcome.
It is possible that William didn’t know that Harry would be there, secrecy is the best form of security.
For the love of God, why won’t these people just move on? One quiet visit to a family funeral generates these many frantic headlines? It’s like they’re having a collective meltdown, because their entire business model has been upended. You can’t claim to have “sources” with inside scoop about the Sussexes, when you didn’t know that Harry had attended the funeral. Now y’all are trying to pretended like you know something. You don’t. Take the L and move the heck on.
I agree with Kaiser that the Spencer’s are not trying to get Harry and William to reconcile. I’m guessing that William didn’t know that Harry was going to be there and he went in an attempt to show up Harry rather than any affinity for the Spencer’s.
If Peggy had known it would have been in the rags a lot sooner and I doubt Peggy (if he was truly there) would have attended. He certainly didn’t take long after the service to run to the rota screaming about Prince Harry.
Most definitely. It’s quite possible that Harry asked the Spencer’s not to tell William that he was coming so that it wouldn’t be leaked to the press.
“However, they said they thought it unlikely. It is understood that the most recent communication from Harry—a note wishing Princess Kate a speedy recovery from cancer—went unanswered by William and *Kate*. Friends of William accuse Harry and his wife Meghan Markle of continuing to deliberately antagonize them, for example by refusing to call the Princess of Wales by her preferred name, *Catherine*.”
Make it make sense.
*snort* There really is no saving these people from themselves.
Kaiser did you see the Twitter threads floating the William didn’t go …” details? it was pretty detailed….https://x.com/livysmith99/status/1830178289819758661?s=46&t=P5jDdzuXewa107l6oMlL8Q (idk if Twitter links work here but if so…. )
Checking helicopter Willy’s flights could clarify.
The BM is still trying to pretend that Willy Nilly
1. is as close to the Spencers as Harry apparently is and
2. He actually attended that funeral.
I’m surprised Will hasn’t tried to claim ownership of the Spencers like he has on the entire continent of Africa, Harry’s IG, loyalty from mutual friends and the entire BRF, all 50 states and territories of the US, Zoom….
Lol would the Spencers want Diana’s 2 sons to reconcile? Of course. BUT that ship sailed when Willy let his communications director testify against Meghan in her Daily Mail lawsuit. When Willy assisted Charles in stripping Harry of his security. When Willy consistently leaks against, undermines and endangers Harry and his family and Harry calls Willy’s wife Kate instead of Catherine (sarcasm) its hard to encourage reconciliation. I’m sure the Spencers pray and hope for the best outcome for them. God knows Willy needs Jesus but other than hoping for the best they can’t do much else. These men are in their 40s. Their characters are set in stone at this point.
Yes I can see them wanting a reconciliation as a general thing. Obviously Diana’s siblings lost her at a relatively young age (both her sons are older than she was when she passed), so I can see that also playing a role in wanting reconciliation.
but sometimes you can want something and know its not going to happen and still be okay with that. Like I can see the spencers wanting reconciliation between the brothers the way Harry has talked about it – with appropriate apologies, stopping the leaking to the press, etc. But Harry seems to have accepted that when it comes to William, its not going to happen.
My guess is Charles and his sisters are similar – “oh wouldn’t it be nice if William wasn’t such an ahole and you two could get along again” but William is what he is so its not happening.
I think the Spencer’s recall how Diana dealt with a lot of shit when she was fighting with Charles and they saw the force of the media and establishment against her. Charles Spencer didn’t spare much in his eulogy and so he knows what Harry has and is still facing. They are more likely to protect Harry and Meghan than care if William wants to reconcile.
I don’t believe this at all. There is zero security there. None. Not only do they not have gov security, the Spencers have no security at all so I can’t imagine he stayed there.
Saying that Harry stayed at Althorp is like saying water is wet. There’s no scoop here. Althorp is private property. No one, British press, or otherwise, has access to Althorp without permission.
Even for a short trip I’m sure Prince Harry travels with his own security and if no one knows he’s there attending (especially the BRF, the firm and the tabloid media) then the danger is greatly reduced.
How do you know the Spencer’s have no security? A huge estate like Althorp is bound to have it.
Of course they have some kind of security, Diana is buried there. Didn’t Harry say something about them having to remove the bridge to the island because of intruders trying to get to her? Likely a continuing problem, especially around the anniversary of her death, which would have been just after the Fellowes funeral.
Not sure why you wouldn’t. Harry travels with his own security, they’re not permitted to carry weapons in the UK but I am quite sure they are capable of protecting him at a private(ish) event.
Notice that there were no photos posted. Either people had to surrender their phones or Harry was last-in-first-out and sat in the back or with people who supported him.
It would make the most sense for him to have stayed with the Spencers, gave him the chance to visit his mother’s grave, it’s far enough from London that they don’t have to deal with the prying eyes of the tabloid press.
I think it’s more telling that there were no photos of William, which essentially means he was not in attendance.
Harry has been to the UK before with his security team and without RAVEC approval, and it would have been even easier to have done so this time since no one in the press was expecting him. Althorp does have some form of security because of Diana’s grave. CHarles Spencer doesn’t have his own security team I’m sure but I’m sure there is some form of security on the grounds.
AI think Harry was at Althorp but not sure if William was at the funeral or not. Some say he was , others say he wasn’t. I don’t think the Spencer’s are getting involved in the rift or any “ reconciliation”. Whatever. Also it sounds really petty if the Sussexes not saying Catherine is an issue for William. I haven’t heard them even mention her name outside of that statement of sympathy over her cancer. Makes William sound like a jerk. Anyway, this visit has really gotten to the royal press, maybe the palace, but think Harry really was there for his mum’s family and the anniversary. That’s it.
I believe the Spencer’s would want them to reconcile. They’ve lost a sibling to death. I doubt that Harry and Peg losing each other while still alive is comfortable them. My mother interfered with my no contact rule with my older brother for years before she realized she had to do the same thing. That being said, I don’t believe they’d ever let that leak.
The Spencers would never characterise how Harry has responded to the way Meghan and he and their children have been treated by William, the Windsors and the BM as a ‘betrayal’ of William. That claim alone shows the whole story is a thumbsuck.
I am so tired of reading crap about “Harry’s betrayal”. Harry and Meghan are the ones who were betrayed and served up to the Media wolves at every turn by his “family” for years. Harry has the right to live his life as he sees fit and to write about the truth of his experiences in “Spare” or any other venue he chooses.
This just seems like a vehicle for the Spencers to remind everybody about how influential and important they are – both generally, as one of the oldest “most noble” aristocratic families (arguably older and more “English” than the Windsors) and specifically, as the potential “peacemakers” between the future king and his brother.
Does it actually benefit the Spencers to try and force Harry back to the royal fold? Or is it more beneficial for them to be seen as integral players with access to power? I think the Spencers are cleverly playing the Windsors in the exact same way they did with Harry’s wedding by offering the use of the Spencer tiara – it elevates them as an alternative to the royals even as it helped Harry negotiate with his family.
Jay, we’ll never know how they think. I remember Earl Spencer’s speech at Princess Di’s funeral. Somehow, I can’t see him thinking the brf have any power he would want to be part of. I can see him being amused with anyone thinking the Spencers need to be elevated when they are already more ‘blue blooded’. It’s an interesting perspective.
A bit off topic: can any CBs explain this? For Diana’s death anniversary, Earl Spencer posted some old news clippings of her christening. Their parents were called Lady and Lord Althorpe. If that was their title, how’d Charles become Earl Spencer? Why were they called by the estate name but him by a surname?
Because Diana’s grandfather was still alive at the time the article was written. Diana’s dad was styled Viscount Althorp (his father’s lesser title) and called Lord until his dad died in 1975 and he inherited the earldom.
Thank you @rnot!
Rnot has it right, as the heir he had a different title then – pretty standard for the heirs of earls on up.
Diana was “the Honorable Diana Spencer” then and became “Lady Diana Spencer” when her father became Earl.
As a note, there aren’t that many “Lord Givenname Lastnames”. “Lord Givenname” is a courtesy title for the younger sons of dukes on up. An earl’s second son would be “the Honorable”. “Lady Givenname” is a courtesy title for daughters of earls (on up) though. Diana’s parents would have been known as Lord and Lady Althorp as well as Viscount/Viscountess Althorp. (Not “Lord Charles”/”Lady Frances”).
Will and Harry’s late uncle was Lord Fellowes but his wife is Lady Jane Fellowes (because she is the daughter of an earl) or could be called Lady Fellowes.
The Spencers know William is the institution. He’s lost.
I don’t believe William went to the memorial service. I think he ran to the tabloids with the story of not speaking to Harry to get ahead of it in case Harry leaked he was there. He knew he would look bad if Harry managed to fly from California, and he couldn’t pop over from Balmoral or Norfolk, wherever they were hiding. If he were there and saw Harry, there would be no reason to leak it two days afterward. No one knew. He could have carried on.
I kind of believe it. They know Diana loved both of her children. They also know that Charles is a dogs**t father and that william needs parental advice from someplace that isn’t just the Middletons. May be some truth to it.
“William did go to the funeral but he had no idea that Harry would be there, so it wasn’t about “William threatening to boycott.” Second theory: William wasn’t there and this has all been Kensington Palace’s furious retcon.”
This…..and neither of these scenarios imply that the Spencers feel that Harry betrayed William.
I am sure they would want the brothers to be close but no….they understand what William and that family did and continue to do to Harry and his family.
That’s why they were at the 10th anniversary service…with no prior leaks.
Anyone who says “Harry’s betrayal” loses credibility with me.
Yes, Charles Yall-Hos-Killed-My-Sister Spencer is gunning for his nephew to make peace with the Windsors.
LMFAOOOOOO.
the British media is realizing more and more with every passing day that they fucked up.
Anyone who watched that eulogy live knows that Charles Spencer will never side with the Windsors. Anything they are doing is for Harry and him alone.
Exactly this.
“Prince William agreeing to attend Robert Fellowes funeral service” what a strange wording. Did Willi had to be asked to attend the funeral service? Did Willi not come forwards in saying “I will attend whatever happens to support my aunt and family in the time of loss”? Very strange.
I think he attended as a representative of the Crown rather than a loving nephew and to show the world that he is also loved by the Spencers. As was pointed out earlier this week (by Becks1) Fellowes was QEII’s Private Secretary and would have been very close to her. Therefore one of the senior royals had to go and pay their respects. Given their history with the Spencers it was out of the question for KCIII and Camilla to attend so William was the next best choice. William was probably persuaded to attend because he could use the headlines to show he was “there” when the family needed him and Harry was a no-show. The Windsors (especially William) really needed to undermine those pictures of the IGs memorial service. Unfortunately for the Windsors, the Spencers don’t leak and as a result William was reminded of how strong the bond is between his brother and the rest of his mother’s family.
ETA: I am firmly in the William attended the funeral camp. I think he thought he could get away with doing the absolute minimum – show up for the funeral and leave before the wake. Whereas Harry was there for the funeral, the wake and to visit his mum’s grave.
@Laura D this might explain it. I just found the wording strange but if he agreed to attend as a representative of the crown that would make sense.
I also strongly believe that Willi attended. It was Willi’s attempt to “claim” the Spencer family back for him after they turned up in force to support Harry at the Invictus Game anniversary service.
Agree with you both.
Suspect this may also reflect the new government’s harder line with W. I do hope so.
Let’s be honest. It also helps that the funeral was so very close to William’s home in Norfolk.
One of the many differences between Egg and Harry: Egg would have stayed away from the funeral if he’d known Harry would be there.
Harry went to the funeral even knowing there was a possibility that William would show, and Harry didn’t care, because he wanted to support his aunt.
Egg is a petulant man-baby. Harry is an adult.
I find it really interesting that a funeral attendance has engendered the number of bm articles that it has. Yes, they are reporting that Harry was there, but it seems their intent to make sure everyone knows that Billy Idle was there, too.
Was he there? Who knows. I find it quite telling that Spencer friends didn’t leak that Harry would be present, but suddenly are talking about reconciliation. To the bm? I believe this is just another fairytale the bm tell themselves.
What is Harry’s “betrayal,” exactly? Marrying a woman he’s nuts about and doing everything in his power to protect her and their children? Even from his brother? Doing real, actual, substantive charity work that actually makes a difference? How awful of him. Argh.
I think the Spencers have William’s number so to speak they have witnessed how he behaves since he was a young child. And how petulant he can be.
All lies. I just can’t believe how they get away with it.
How did Harry travel from the airport to Althorp undetected? How did he travel back to airport unseen without one photo?
I don’t believe PW was at the memorial and here’s why. When that vicar ran to the tabloids with the story about greeting PW & PH, I thought that it was very unprofessional. Now I realize it was a plant to make everyone believe PW was at the memorial. The childishness by KP is stunning.
“ they also understand Harry’s position because of the way Diana was treated by the Windsors…”
This is what tells me this is BS and not a legitimate source. Harry’s biggest issue at this point is how those ratchet inbreds treated his WIFE.
Puhlease.
The Spencers know what the Windsors are capable of. They know better than anyone. No way they’re pushing Harry to reconcile.