For the first time this decade, Prince William and Prince Harry are both on UK soil for the anniversary of their mother’s death.
The late Diana, Princess of Wales, tragically died on August 31, 1997, when the current Prince of Wales and Duke of Sussex were 15 and 12, respectively.
The fatal crash bonded the young princes together for several years. Both William and Harry joined their father, grandfather and uncle to walk behind Diana’s coffin at her funeral, which was watched around the world on September 6, 1997.
The brothers subsequently marked the anniversary of their mother’s death together on several occasions.
In 2007, William and Harry joined forces to organise a massive tribute concert at Wembley Stadium, featuring some of Diana’s favourite musical artists.
A Service of Thanksgiving was also held at the Guards’ Chapel in London on August 31, 2007, marking the 10th anniversary of her death, where Prince Harry delivered a moving eulogy.
A decade later, the brothers toured the White Garden at Kensington Palace, a memorial planted specifically in Diana’s honour.
Together, they also walked outside the gates of Kensington Palace to look at the flowers and notes left by members of the public.
Princes William and Harry discussed their mother�s life and legacy in a rare interview before the 2007 Concert for Diana
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GETTY
William and Harry subsequently appeared together in the intimate HBO documentary Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy, released in 2017 to mark the 20th anniversary of the late Princess of Wales’s death.
However, the brothers’ relationship has since been left in tatters following Harry and Meghan Markle’s decision to step back as working royals and move to the United States.
For the past several years, William and Harry have marked August 31 on opposite sides of the Atlantic.
But that is not the case this year.
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The Princess of Wales (then-Kate Middleton) and Chelsy Davy, Harry’s ex-girlfriend, were also present at the concert
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GETTY
Harry and Meghan returned to Britain with their children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, on August 26, just days before the 29th anniversary of Diana’s death.
Despite the timing, there is little indication that William and Harry will reunite to mark the occasion in any public forum.
The fact that both brothers are now in Britain nevertheless presents a striking contrast with recent years, when any joint commemoration of Diana would have required one of them to cross the Atlantic.
It also raises a tantalising question about next year.
The 30th anniversary of Diana’s death will undoubtedly attract significant attention, potentially creating a moment when the brothers’ shared loss could once again take centre stage.
Harry is also expected to remain closely connected to Britain, with the Invictus Games due to be held in Birmingham in July 2027.
For years, William and Harry’s shared memories of their mother were among the few areas where their relationship appeared to transcend their differences.
They once stood shoulder-to-shoulder to honour Diana in front of the world.
Prince Harry and Prince William took part in a documentary in 2017 to remember Princess Diana
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HBO
Today, however, even with both brothers in the same country, there is no sign of a repeat.
Next year’s 30th anniversary could present a possibility for the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex to finally put aside their differences.
Whether William and Harry will succeed in that endeavour to honour their mother together remains an unanswered question.