Prince Harry has quietly maintained strong communication channels with his family, it has been reported.
The prince’s relationship with the Windsors has become increasingly strained over recent years, but he is still keeping in the loop through his mother’s side, the Spencer family. In late August, the Duke of Sus𝑠e𝑥 made a secret trip to the UK to attend a memorial service for late uncle, Lord Robert Fellowes in Norfolk.
Harry, 39, reportedly stayed with the Spencers at Althorp House, their ancestral manor and the childhood home of his late mother Princess Diana, who was buried on the estate following her tragic death in 1997. Jennie Bond has spoken to OK! about what Harry’s visit means, noting the two parties must be in regular contact, which is a “positive thing”.
“When Diana’s coffin arrived back at Althorp and the gates closed behind the hearse, Earl Spencer said simply: ‘Diana is home.’ And he has clearly honoured his pledge that her blood family would allow William and Harry to experience as many different aspects of life as possible and to let their souls sing openly as she had planned,” Jennie told OK!.
She added: “Quietly, behind the scenes, it is obvious that the Spencer family have kept the communication channels open with Harry and that their affection for him is reciprocated. I’m sure Harry feels it’s important that he still has some kind of anchor here in the UK and, for now at least, it seems that it is with his aunts and uncle. And that has to be a positive thing.”
Harry and his brother Prince William, 42, are said to have attended the memorial but they didn’t speak to each other. This makes the relationship between Harry and the Spencers even more significant. She explained: “It’s much better that Harry has some links with his UK family, even if reconciliation with the Windsor side maybe a long way off, if indeed it is possible.”
Those watching noticed how the brothers remained physically separate throughout the memorial service. Speaking to The Sun, a source said they made a subtle entrance. “I didn’t know they were there. They arrived very discreetly,” the source said.
Another person said the pair kept their distance and avoided interaction. They pointed out: “William and Harry were both there but we never saw them speak to each other and they were keeping their distance.”