The Tragic Reason Princess Diana Would Have Never Seen William & Harry's Estrangement Coming

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At this point, it feels like the feud between William, Prince of Wales, and Harry, Duke of Sussex, has been going on forever. In reality, though, the brothers weren't estranged for the vast majority of their lives. They reportedly spoke to each other for the last time at Queen Elizabeth II's funeral in 2022. More than two decades earlier, William was only 15 and Harry was 12 when their mother, Princess Diana, died in 1997. Folks who knew Diana believe that she would have been surprised by her sons' falling out — and she likely would have helped them resolve it.

It's impossible to know how Diana really would have reacted to William and Harry's estrangement. Yet, Andrew Morton, who wrote the biography "Diana: Her True Story–in Her Own Words," knows how the late princess felt better than most. "Diana always used to say she had two boys for a reason — the younger would be there to support the older in the lonely task as future king," he told People. So, the notion that the brothers wouldn't ultimately act as sources of friendship and comfort for one another surely would have upset her. And knowing Diana, Morton believes she would have intervened to help bring the two brothers back together.

Before their feud, Prince William and Prince Harry were friendly with each other. It seems, though, that things started to really fall apart in 2018 when the brothers disagreed about how accepting (or not) William was of Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex. From the sound of it, things never quite went back to normal after that tiff, but they remained on speaking terms for a few years. In 2021, the memory of their mother united them briefly when they put out an emotional statement on Princess Diana's 60th birthday. "Every day, we wish she were still with us..." they said, per E! News. And, if she were still here, the family might be far more united than it is.

In terms of William and Harry's feud, Andrew Morton said, "There is no doubt Diana would have tried to act as a peacemaker between them." In fact, he seemingly believes that she would have guided her sons to a reconciliation. "If she had been around, they would have worked things out in a different way," he explained. In reality, though, it's difficult to know whether a reconciliation will ever be in the cards. In May 2025, Harry told BBC News, "I would love reconciliation with my family. There's no point in continuing to fight anymore." This doesn't, however, seem mutual, as Prince William is reportedly resigned to the fact that he has lost his brother.