Harry's nervousness showed at Prince Philip's funeral, seemed 'worried to meet William's eye': Report
In the wake of Prince Philip's funeral, it's been revealed that brothers William and Harry had reunited, albeit briefly. William's wife, Kate, had allegedly played 'peacemaker' in getting the two brothers to talk. The Duchess of Cambridge had allowed the brothers their privacy while walking back from the funeral after maintaining the mandated 12-feet of social distance, all through the ceremony. But after these reports of a reunion, sources reveal that Harry displayed 'nervousness' as he was 'worried to meet William's eye' on his first return to the UK since Megxit.
This is the first time Harry has visited the UK since he and his wife, Meghan Markle, made bombshell claims of racism within the royal family and bullying from British tabloids, in their interview with Oprah Winfrey. As speculations about the tension between Harry and the other royals run rife, Vanity Fair reports that Harry kept tapping his order of service anxiously against his leg while he sat alone at Prince Philip's funeral, across from his brother William and Kate. He "stared into the distance, seeming almost worried to meet William’s eye across the aisle", reports the outlet.
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The feuding family's tension has built up after the Oprah Winfrey interview. Harry had revealed how both his brother and their father Prince Charles are 'trapped' in the royal family and backed Meghan's racism claims. And soon William had to address the matter unprecedentedly over a public appearance, assuring the royals 'are very much not a racist family'. Even though the brothers saw each other for the first time in a year since Harry quit his royal duties with Meghan in 2020, at Prince Philip's funeral, Harry and William were separated in the procession by Princess Anne's son Peter Philips.
The televised funeral was shown to a global audience. The brothers also chatted briefly once the service was over and mourners were leaving the chapel. The Duke of Cambridge clutched an order of service and removed his mask before allowing Harry to move next to him. They talked in a tender manner -- a point noted by many, with body language expert Judi James claiming they seemed "relaxed" in a "natural moment of unity" as they chatted outside.
Two hours later, the brothers allegedly joined their father for private talks away from the cameras with rumors about how Harry might stay on till the Queen's 95th birthday on April 21.
Harry is also expected to join his brother for the unveiling of their mother, Princess Diana's memorial statue at Kensington Palace on July 1, marking Diana's 60th birthday.
A source said: “It’s early days but you’d hope this is exactly the first step Philip would have wished for." Another told the outlet that the brothers have been asked to "put their differences aside by the Queen for the sake of the family". They added: "William and other members of the family have some very strong feelings about some of the things Harry and Meghan said on Oprah and things need to be talked through, but this was not the occasion and everyone respected that. It’s going to take more than a wake to sort things out, but this is hopefully a start."
Harry's return to the UK happened last Sunday, April 12, after Prince Philip's death was announced on April 9 by Buckingham Palace. The Duke of Edinburgh was 99 at the time of his passing with his beloved 'Lilibet' by his bedside.