Diana’s birthday and why William and Harry have little to celebrate
As their mother’s 61st milestone comes around this week, we look at where the feuding princes are 12 months on from their statue unveiling.
“Every day we wish she were still with us,” the brothers said, as they unveiled the statue to their mother Diana, Princess of Wales, this time last year.
Princes William and Harry memorably came together in Kensington Palace gardens on July 1 last year, on what would have been Diana’s 60th birthday, for the official unveiling of the statue they had commissioned to mark the occasion.
“We remember her love, strength and character,” the brothers said, “Qualities that made her a force for good around the world, changing countless lives for the better.”
It was the first time William and Harry had come together since Prince Philip’s funeral almost three months prior and it was hoped this personal event would help repair their broken bond. Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, tried to peace-keep behind the scenes.
However, one year on, as Diana’s birthday comes around again on Friday, The Royal List takes a look at what has changed. Sadly, William and Harry’s relationship doesn’t appear to have improved – as the brothers barely looked at each other during the Service of Thanksgiving for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee earlier this month. And while the Cambridges were front and centre of the celebrations with their children, the Sussexes went home early.
“The relationship between Harry and William is still very much one of distance,” royal author Omid Scobie previously told ET Online. And when Harry was asked if he missed William during the Invictus Games in April, he said, “Look, I mean, for me at the moment, I’m here focused on these guys. And then I leave here, I get back and my focus is on my family, who I miss massively.”
Despite reports the pair had been texting ahead of the Jubilee, the Cambridges missed Lilibet’s birthday and any sign of reconciliation was very much not in evidence.
This August marks another significant anniversary for the brothers, as it’s 25 years since Diana died, on August 31, 1997. As they said last year, she changed so many lives – The Royal List hopes her memory can change the fractured lives of her sons.
The Queen looks blooming lovely
It was a joy to see the Queen with a spring in her step and on her clothes, as she conducted several engagements this week.
The monarch looked blooming lovely in a yellow dropped-waist dress when she met Governor of NSW, Australia, Margaret Beazley at Windsor Castle on Wednesday. It was preceded by a pretty cream and pink flowery frock, which she wore to receive the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, at Windsor Castle on Tuesday. He presented Her Majesty with the Canterbury Cross for the Platinum Jubilee. The citation read, “Hers is an example of the Christian life well led.
“This presentation of the Canterbury Cross is a heartfelt symbol of the love, loyalty and affection in which the Church of England holds Her Majesty and it represents the recognition and gratitude of her whole Church for her seventy years of unstinting service. God Save The Queen!”
William and Kate’s Big week
It was non-stop in the Cambridge household this week and we’re not talking about keeping up with Prince Louis. William hit the big 4-0 and became a magazine cover star, plus the couple marked Windrush Day and finished the week by revealing their first official portrait.
On Thursday, the Duke and Duchess were in Cambridge, where they stopped by the Fitzwilliam Museum to unveil their portrait by British artist Jamie Coreth. In the painting, Catherine wears a dress by The Vampire’s Wife (previously worn during a visit to Ireland), a brooch from the Queen’s collection and earrings once belonging to Diana, Princess of Wales. “I wanted to show Their Royal Highnesses in a manner where they appeared both relaxed and approachable, as well as elegant and dignified,” said Coreth.
The day before, the couple marked Windrush Day at London’s Waterloo Station where they attended the unveiling of the National Windrush Monument. The sculpture by Jamaican artist Basil Watson depicts a man, woman and child standing on a pile of suitcases. The monument pays tribute to the thousands of people who arrived in the UK from Caribbean countries between 1948 and 1971. The Duke gave thanks for the “enormous contribution” of those who came to help rebuild post-WW2 Britain.
“I want to say a profound thank you to every member of that generation, and the generations that have followed,” he said. “And I want you to know that you can count on mine and Catherine’s continued support in helping us achieve a future they would be proud of.”
William also used his milestone birthday week to highlight another important issue, homelessness. Starring on The Big Issue cover, alongside Dave Martin the vendor he recently spent time with, and who interviewed William for the magazine, he spoke about why he is determined to make a difference. On Tuesday, as he celebrated his birthday at Kensington Palace, William popped over to Hammersmith in west London to hand deliver some of his cake to Mr Martin.
Chukka crazy for Nacho
Now Prince Harry has returned to Montecito, he’s also back in the saddle playing polo (a lot) with his Los Padres team mates. Which means we’ve being seeing a lot of Nacho Figueras, who runs the club. And frankly, we can’t enough of this Argentine polo player, model (long-time face of Ralph Lauren) and actor (check out Gossip Girl).
Called the ‘David Beckham of polo’ by Tatler, he was born 45 years ago as Ignacio Figueras Bermejo. Nacho is a married father of four and his friendship with Harry goes waaaay back, in fact over 13 years. Nacho told Insider it was their shared love of sport and philanthropy which sealed their close bond. If only The Crown commissioned Jilly Cooper for a sporty spin off…
Sticky business
We all know Her Majesty uses a walking stick to alleviate her mobility issues, but did you know her Sandringham estate shop has branched out and is now selling handmade ones. Made from locally-sourced wood – Hazel, Ash and Yew – every £55 stag horn shaped stick is unique in design and only available in person from the Norfolk store.