Arrived without Meghan Markle, Prince Harry joined his brother William to honor one last time the memory of Prince Philip, at Windsor Castle, this April 17. Funerals that reminded the Duke of Sussex those of his mother Diana in 1997, but also his emancipation more than painful from the royal family …
His arrival was expected. It is, at a distance from William as expected, that Prince Harry first appeared behind the coffin of their grandfather Prince Philip, around St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, this April 17. If the two brothers walked in the same line, their cousin Peter Phillips, who played the role of “big brother” to them after the death of Diana, separated them. Inside St. George’s Chapel, Harry, like his uncle Andrew, sat alone. The two rebels of the royal family were placed at the ends of the same row, while Princess Anne sat with her husband Timothy Laurence in the middle. A terrible effect of symmetry. But it was also the image of Harry, with his head bowed, that evoked emotion and memories.
Nearly 25 years ago, the youngest son of Charles, himself moved to tears on April 17, adopted the same posture for the funeral of his mother Diana, in Westminster Abbey. He was then 12 years old. And, on September 6, 1997, his grandfather Philip, despite his troubled relationship with Lady Di, had wanted to walk beside him behind the coffin of the Princess of Wales. It was out of the question for the Duke of Edinburgh to hand over his grandsons alone to the machine gun of the photographers. He would be a bulwark in the ordeal. The tributes of William and Harry have demonstrated the days following the death of the husband of Elizabeth II: the duke was a loving grandfather. Memory all the more hard for Harry that exiled in California since March 2020, he will not have seen the Duke of Edinburgh, before he expires his last breath.
Harry’s emotion in front of Elizabeth II, now widowed, isolated from everyone in St George’s Chapel
On April 17, Harry was seized by another image: that of his grandmother Elizabeth II, now a widow, sitting alone for health reasons as much as for protocol, under the vaults of St George’s Chapel. The twilight of a queen who has lived a reign that has been challenged by her descendants. Three years ago, in the same place, the rebel grandson of the sovereign married Meghan Markle, under the cheers. England celebrated a royal family rejuvenated by the modern, bold couple. Too modern, too bold, no doubt.
All the hopes of the time were extinguished by the Megxit. Meghan Markle, pregnant with her 2nd child, was not at the appointment this April 17. From Montecito, she sent a wreath, with handwritten condolences. Drop of ink in the tumult of history. It is Kate Middleton, well decided to play the reconciler between William and Harry, who consoled the Duke of Sussex. As before. Except that nothing will be like before. This April 17, a page of the 20th century and the history of the Windsors, soon to be taken over by Charles, has been turned.
Photo credits: PA Photos/ABACA
Harry was brave to attend amidst the bad blood between the other Royals and himself. I support Harry and Meaghan’s healthy choices but find unfortunate the timing of their interview with Oprah. Also, find the distancing of William and his beloved brother a symbol of the dysfunction of the royal family.
I support Harry for being so brave to remove his family from all the poison that killed his mother. Everyone lives for themselves and God gives each one of us just ONE LIFE, royal or not. Its unfortunate that the Queen bitterly stripped Harry from everything he worked for so hard. Even in my 3rd world country, a soldier retires with his rank and uniform and serving his country can never be stripped from him like they took it away from Harry. Yet this stripping Harry of his titles no one sees nothing wrong with it and doesn’t ring any bells of how it would have been for the couple. This reminds me of a battered wife who people ask why she is not happy as her husband built her a mansion? Happiness is not all about material things. Thumbs up Harry and we love ypu dearly in Botswana 🇧🇼, you know this! You will make it son of the soil! God bless you and your wife!