Shortly after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex appeared in Germany for the Invictus Games, it was the Prince and Princess of Wales' time to shine as they had a busy week of a trip abroad and high profile solo engagements.
As Prince William touched down in New York for the first Earthshot Prize Awards Summit, he made his passions for the United States clear with a comment posted on the couple’s social media, which read: “It’s so good to be back in the United States. No one does optimism and ingenuity like the American people…”
But there was heartache behind William’s heroism, arriving on Prince Harry’s adopted US ‘home turf’ amid no sign of a reconciliation between the two brothers.
Despite the ongoing challenges between the once close pair, royal experts make it clear that both the Prince and Princess of Wales are doing their level best and put the rift in the past.
Royal expert Duncan Larcombe told OK! that Prince Harry would have been very much in Prince William’s thoughts “during quieter moments” on his Big Apple trip.
“There are always going to be certain things that will remind William of his younger brother and that will be upsetting for him – I don’t doubt that for a second. I’d love to know how much of the Invictus Games William saw and whether or not he even dared watch the Netflix documentary about it. Maybe it was just too painful for him.
“It’s such a shame. Things could have been so different if the boys were on speaking terms. They could have lent some clout to each other’s projects. These opportunities are lost.”
Despite the hurt behind the scenes, Duncan says William and Kate are determined to put all the negativity firmly in the past. “I think William’s way of dealing with it is to focus on the job in hand, and that’s how he’s coped. It’s the same with Kate. They’re rolling their sleeves up and getting on with it and William’s trip to New York is no exception to that.”
The rift between the brothers first came to light when Harry confirmed that they were already on “different paths” back in 2019. Kate’s reported attempts to heal the broken bond have failed, much to her disappointment. Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond tells us, “When you come from a happy, united family – as Catherine does – it’s incredibly hard to understand how people can become estranged.
“I think she believed the rift could be fixed and, after Prince Philip’s funeral, we saw her talking with Harry and obviously encouraging William to do the same. But we now know that it didn’t work. In fact, William and Harry had a blazing row right after the funeral. There comes a point when you just have to accept that happy families are not a game that everyone can play.
“Catherine has been hurt and insulted by things that Harry and Meghan have said, but she and William are a very strong team, and I suspect that, together, they’ve come to the conclusion that the rift with Harry cannot be fixed in the foreseeable future. They’ve closed their minds to that possibility and decided to get on with their lives.”
Jennie points out that “like his father, William can be quite hot headed, but Catherine is adept at calming him down” but says “before he set off for New York, I think she would have simply given him a farewell kiss and wished him good luck because William is hugely invested in this project and is confident about what he’s doing.”
Mutual support is one of the keys to their strong relationship. “There are so few people that members of the royal family can turn to for advice, comfort or just to let off steam with,” Jennie says.
“I’m sure that William and Catherine are a great support to one another and that Catherine is the most incredible source of encouragement for William. The marriage is founded on an enduring friendship and I’m sure William has called on the strength of that friendship to help him come to terms with the loss of his wingman, his brother.”
Interestingly, Jennie believes that the couple’s split – or ‘divorce’ as she refers to it – around 2007 has helped them cope with the ructions caused by Harry. “I think one of the best things they did was essentially to have a ‘divorce’ before they got married.
"The short time they spent apart made them see what life would be like without one another. I think it laid the foundation for what appears to be an extremely happy and secure marriage. Being dropped must have hit Catherine’s self confidence at the time but she has since grown as a woman, as a wife, a mother and as a future queen who would have been watching her husband perform on the world’s stage last week with enormous pride.”
Prince William's trip 'across the pond' came shortly after he was crowned the most popular public figure in the US, which leading royal author Katie Nicholl says," must have been a very happy coincidence”.
She says, “I think that must have been a real boost for William as he touched down in New York, not least because he’s been on the receiving end of so much public criticism from Harry. He’s definitely felt the harsh repercussions of Harry airing his dirty laundry in public.”
Of course three of William’s greatest cheerleaders were back home in the UK – Princes George and Louis and Princess Charlotte.
“I’m sure William would have done his utmost to FaceTime Kate and the children to keep them in touch with what was going on and, in particular, to show the children that they remain his priority, wherever his work takes him,” Jennie explains.
And praising the couple’s approach to tag-teaming amidst their busy schedules, she adds, “They certainly try to arrange their work schedules so that one of them can do the school run. William likes cooking but isn’t very good. I’m sure he can rustle up supper for the children when necessary though.
"He’s a modern dad, quite different to his own father and while they have a nanny and help in the house, they give the impression that they like to do things for themselves like any normal family. It’s a great example for the children, who are being brought up in a safe bubble of love, laughter and something approaching normality.”
Source: Read Full Article
