Princess Diana would've been 'heartbroken' as the 'only person' able to heal Prince William and Prince Harry’s “rift”

Princess Diana and Prince William and Prince Harry together
(Image credit: Future// Image 1:Photo by Jayne Fincher/Getty Images // Image 2: Photo by Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)

Princess Diana would reportedly have been “heartbroken” and the “only person” able to heal Prince William and Prince Harry’s so-called “rift”. 

  • It’s claimed that the late Princess of Wales might've been the only one who could help ease the reported “rift” between her sons.  
  • Princess Diana’s former butler Paul Burrell has suggested that the “distance” between Princes William and Harry “would never have happened” if she’d been here. 
  • This royal news comes as we revealed the Queen’s heartbreaking wish that she could never have as monarch.

Since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle “stepped back” as senior members of The Firm and settled in their LA home rumors of a “rift” between the Dukes of Sussex and Cambridge have continued to circulate. The Sussexes’ shocking Oprah Winfrey interview sparked speculation about the brothers’ bond after Harry described their relationship as “distance”. Following this, he and William have only reunited in person a few times, including for the unveiling of a Princess Diana statue on what would’ve been her 60th birthday last year. 

Now ahead of Harry and Meghan’s return for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee weekend it’s been claimed that the reported “rift” would likely have left Diana ‘heartbroken’.  

Prince William, Duke of Cambridge (left) and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex arrive for the unveiling of a statue they commissioned of their mother Diana, Princess of Wales

Opening up to OK!, Princess Diana’s former butler Paul Burrell has expressed his belief that the so-called distance between the brothers might never have grown at all if their mother had still been here, claiming she’d have taken action to reconcile them. 

“She’d be heartbroken. It wouldn’t have got as bad as this if she was still here," he alleged before adding, "She’d have banged their heads together.”

Paul went on to speculate that Diana would perhaps have been the “only person” who could’ve brought her sons closer together.

"She’s probably the only person that could have done that. If Diana had been here [the rift] would never have happened,” he said. 

The Princess Of Wales And Princes William & Harry Attend The Vj Day 50Th Anniversary Celebrations

Going on to compare their reportedly more distant relationship to their childhood bond, Paul described the “rift” reports as “incomprehensible”. 

“It’s incomprehensible to think about the boys being so distanced. I cannot get my head around it,” he said. “I saw those boys grow up and they were tighter than you can possibly believe. They referred to each other about everything. When Diana died I thought they would be inseparable."

"Harry’s going to need his brother one day,” Paul alleged, despite it recently being suggested that Prince Harry and Meghan showed they’re “thriving” in the US with their public kiss. 

Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry attend the opening of the Greenhouse Sports Centre on April 26, 2018

The former butler also claimed that William likely misses his brother a lot since he and Meghan moved Stateside.

"He must think of Harry every single day. He’s his brother, he’s made of the same stuff. And they went through the same turmoil and tragedy. They only had each other to rely on really," he said. 

And although Harry and William live thousands of miles apart, the brothers will soon be reuniting with their entire families for their grandmother’s Jubilee celebrations. This will mark the first time Harry and Meghan’s daughter Lilibet could meet her wider family, including her uncle William, and this reunion is one many fans are perhaps looking forward to. 

Emma Shacklock
Senior Lifestyle Writer

Emma is a Senior Lifestyle Writer with six years of experience working in digital publishing, ranging from book publishing to magazines. She currently looks after all things Lifestyle for Woman&Home, Goodto.com, and My Imperfect Life.