Royal Expert Reveals How Prince Harry Really Felt About His Family's 'Frosty Reception'
On April 11, Prince Harry returned to the UK for the first time in more than one year. The Duke of Sussex touched down at London's Heathrow Airport just two days after his grandfather, Prince Philip, died according to People magazine. All eyes were on Harry at the April 17 funeral, which marked the first public appearance that the duke made alongside the royal family since his sit-down interview with Oprah Winfrey went viral back in March. Royal watchers were curious to see how Harry would act, and how others would act towards him, given that there has been tension amongst them over the past couple of years.
According to the New York Times, Harry walked separately from his brother, Prince William, behind Philip's casket as it was carried to St. George's Chapel. This was the first sign that things weren't going swimmingly for Harry, who wasn't planning on seeing his family this soon after his Oprah interview. Royal expert Russell Myers chatted with talkRADIO, and revealed that Harry received a "frosty reception" from some members of the royal family, according to the Daily Mail. "Some quarters of the family did give him a frosty reception and perhaps that did shock him somewhat," Myers said. He went on to discuss Harry's plans to visit the UK in the not-so-distant future, and whether or not those plans have since changed.
Will Prince Harry return to the UK this summer?
Prince Harry is set to return to the UK in July for the unveiling of a statue of his mother that he and his brother Prince William commissioned, according to The Sun. The statue will be erected at Kensington Palace, and will be unveiled on July 1, which would have been Princess Diana's 60th birthday. However, given how things transpired during Harry's recent visit to the UK, some are wondering if the Duke of Sussex will end up making the trip.
This is something that royal expert Russell Myers addressed during his time on talkRADIO. Interestingly, Myers does think that Harry will return to the UK this summer as planned, according to the Daily Mail. "I'm told he is still committed to coming. Both camps are. Certainly Kate and William will welcome him if he wants to come back," Myers said, adding "His intention is to come back. One may wonder, if his wife has just had a baby, I'm sure he could jump on a private jet and make a flying visit." Myers admits that the way things play out in the coming weeks could affect Harry's upcoming travel plans. "I think a lot will determine what happens in the interim period," he said.
Prince Harry was reportedly snubbed by his own aunt and uncle during his recent trip to the UK
Something else that may factor in to whether or not Prince Harry returns to the UK could be the way his extended family treated him during his April 2021 visit. After Harry's arrival in the UK, there were reports that he was actually snubbed by his very own aunt and uncle. According to the Daily Mail, Princess Anne and Prince Edward — and his wife Sophie — did not acknowledge Harry's presence during his trip. "There is a deep sense of protection towards the Queen and resentment towards Harry. There is little sympathy for him after what he and Meghan [Markle] said on Oprah [Winfrey]," a source told the outlet, adding that they "are still very upset."
The relationship that Harry has with his brother, Prince William, is strained, but the two seem to be able to put their differences aside when it matters, as evidenced by the chat they shared while walking to Windsor Castle after Prince Philip's funeral, according to Page Six. Things between Harry and his father, Prince Charles, are still said to be tense, according to another Page Six report, but Harry may be able to look past that for the sake of his mother. If Harry does decide to travel to the UK for the unveiling of Princess Diana's statue at Kensington Palace, her legacy will be his primary focus.
Prince Harry may be able to put rift aside to honor his late mother
Despite the alleged "frosty reception" that Prince Harry received from his family, per the Daily Mail, the Duke of Sussex has already shown some signs that he is willing to do whatever he needs to do to make sure that his mother's legacy is honored and respected. According to a report from The Sun, Harry and his brother, Prince William, needed to come together to sign off on the statue before it could be unveiled. The brothers worked closely with sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley to ensure that the statue of their mother was exactly what they wanted, and they've reportedly been in touch to discuss the progress and what not, despite their apparent rift.
A source close to Rank-Broadley told The Sun that the Duke of Sussex and the Duke of Cambridge worked "closely" with the sculptor. The project, which was first announced back in 2017, "will be incredible," the source added.