Two families. On one side King Charles with his Camilla, his son William and his wife Kate Middleton. On the other, the brothers of the unforgettable Lady Diana. And in the middle Harry, the prodigal son. Abandoned by his father and brother who yesterday did not find time to see him during his trip to London. Supported, however, by his uncles who were present during the anniversary ceremony of the Invictus Games.
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The support of Lady D’s brothers
While the royal family, in fact, kept their distance from Harry, despite being just a few miles away. The late Princess of Wales’ younger brother Earl Spencer and older sister Lady Jane Fellowes walked side by side into St Paul’s before chatting to their nephew who now lives in the US. The Duke of Sussex climbed the steps of the cathedral alone, unaccompanied by his wife Meghan Markle, who remained in California with their two children. But inside he was greeted by members of his late mother’s family who he embraced warmly.
Charles’ party at Buckingham Palace
Meanwhile, King Charles, invited to attend the function in central London, held the first garden party of the season at Buckingham Palace. The King was joined by Queen Camilla, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the Princess Royal and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. The only royals missing were the Prince and Princess of Wales. William was presenting the awards in Windsor, while Kate is still being treated for cancer. Prince Harry’s spokesman said on Tuesday that the king was too busy to see his youngest son during his fleeting visit to the UK. Last night, however, Palace sources hinted that no formal request for a meeting had been made.
Harry linked to his mother’s family
Over the years, Prince Harry has remained close to his mother’s family, especially Lady Jane. Lady Jane, four years Diana’s senior, has long been a confidante in her life. She was asked to give a reading at Harry’s wedding to Meghan in 2018 and was one of the first members to be invited to meet her newborn son Archie, even before Prince William. Throughout Spare’s memoir, she addressed “thanks” to Lady Jane, to her older sister Lady Sarah McCorquodale and to Earl Spencer, but did not mention the late Queen, King Charles or her brother. She is therefore not surprised that two brothers attended yesterday’s ceremony to lend support to Diana’s youngest child. In addition to his uncles, Harry was surrounded by numerous dignitaries, politicians and close friends. His lawyer David Sherbourne was present while former army officer Mark Dyer – who helped mentor Harry especially after his mother’s death – was in the congregation. Rishi Sunak’s wife Akshata Murty also joined the group, dressed in a green military-style coat with gold buttons, where she was joined by Minister of State for Veterans’ Affairs Johnny Mercer.
The ceremony
The Duke was warmly welcomed by the Dean of St Paul’s, the Very Reverend Andrew Tremlett, before being escorted to his seat under the cathedral’s great dome. At the end of the reading he said in tears: “Thank you Invictus, for giving me my life back.” Hundreds of people gathered to cheer him. Shouts of “we love you Harry” could be heard as the prince took his walk.
Where he stayed
It is unknown where Harry is staying while in Britain since he was asked to leave Frogmore Cottage. He is expected to remain in the UK until tomorrow before flying to Nigeria where he will meet Meghan for a quasi-royal tour which is also expected to highlight the Invictus Games. Harry spent Tuesday in the capital attending a summit reflecting on the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games, which holds sporting events for wounded, ill or injured veterans or those serving in the military to help their recovery. He told delegates at the event, held at the headquarters of the Honorable Artillery Company on the edge of the City of London: “Sometimes you look back and say ‘Look what we did’. But also considering the world situation, there is still a lot to do and I think there is a lot of uncertainty but what we have created is a global community.”
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