One year ago on this day, royal observers were shocked to hear that the estranged brothers, Prince William and Prince Harry, would both be attending the funeral of their uncle, Robert Fellowes.
It marked the first time Harry and William had been seen together in two years.
Earlier reports suggested the Duke of Sussex would not fly to the UK for his uncle’s funeral because of security concerns after losing a legal fight to retain his royal protection after leaving the UK.
As well as attending the funeral, Harry made a visit to his mother’s family estate, Althorp House, where he stayed with his uncle, Charles Spencer, during his trip to the UK.
Baron Fellowes, who was married to Princess Diana’s sister Lady Jane Spencer, died in July 2024 at the age of 82, with his funeral taking place on August 28.
He entered the Royal Household in 1977 and served as Queen Elizabeth II’s private secretary across the 1990s – arguably the most pivotal period of her reign.
He was there to assist during her ‘annus horribilis’ in 1992 – when the then-Prince Charles was at war with Diana, Andrew separated from Sarah, Princess Anne divorced, Windsor Castle burned, and public opinion turned against the Royal Family.
Lord Fellowes was also the Queen’s trusted counsel following the death of his sister-in-law, Diana, in Paris in August 1997.
The Daily Mail’s Editor at Large Richard Kay described Fellowes as ‘knowing more secrets about the Royal Family than perhaps anyone else in Britain’.
Tom Bower wrote in his book, Rebel King, that after Diana’s death, Fellowes was firmly of the view that the prince had to dump his then-mistress, Mrs Camilla Parker Bowles, if he ever hoped to take the throne.
But for Charles, Camilla was a ‘non-negotiable’ part of his life, and he made that very clear.
Figures from that time describe Fellowes as an ‘immense hindrance’ to the issue that was dividing Britain and threatening the monarchy.
‘The problem with Robert was that while superficially charming, he could not see any issue from any perspective other than the Queen’s,’ recalled one adviser.
‘A bigger brain might have allowed other views into the mix, but he never could. So problems just backed up and got worse, and it wasn’t until he left and Robin Janvrin took over — a much cleverer and more open-minded person — that healing started.’
Another insider recalled: ‘Robert was one of those who could never accept Camilla and who promoted the notion that Charles would have to finish with her if he was to make it to King. History shows how wrong he was.’
Bower wrote: ‘In retaliation, Charles ordered Bolland to tell Fellowes that the Queen needed to move with the times.
‘Unsurprisingly, he was ignored. Of the besieged lovers, Fellowes judged: “Those two are the most selfish people I have ever met.”
Since Diana died in 1997, her siblings have remained involved in William and Harry’s lives, and all three attended both of their weddings.
The two aunts, Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Lady Jane Fellowes, as well as their brother Charles, Earl Spencer, were on Archie’s small christening guest list in 2019.
Earl Spencer has publicly defended Harry in the media and on social media, showing his support for the prince during his legal battles and other challenges.
The year 2007 was a particularly big one for the two princes as it marked a decade since their mother’s death.
Fortunately, they seemed to be well supported. On what would have been Diana’s 46th birthday, the princes held a concert in memory of the late Princess of Wales.
Jane was seen in the crowd just a row behind William and Harry. It was certainly a night to remember and honour Diana in the way the young princes wanted.
At the time William said: ‘We wanted to have this big concert on her birthday, full of energy, full of the sort of fun and happiness which I know she would have wanted. It’s got to be the best birthday present she ever had.’
Later that year, the Spencers joined the two princes for a memorial service at the Guards’ Chapel in London, marking ten years since Diana’s death.
In the Sussexes’ engagement interview in November 2017, Meghan said: ‘I think in being able to meet his aunts, I’m able to, in some way, know a part of her through them and of course through him. And it’s – it’s incredibly special.’
Harry spoke about his late mother, saying: ‘I think she would be over the moon, jumping up and down, so excited for me, but then, as I said, she would have probably been best friends – best friends with Meghan.’
In 2019 Lady Jane was one of the first to drop in to meet baby Archie ahead of senior royals including Prince Charles, Camilla, William and Kate.
On what would have been the late Princess of Wales’s 60th birthday, William and Harry’s aunts and uncle came together in 2021 for the unveiling of Diana’s statue at Kensington Palace.
Fellowes’ role in royal affairs was later fictionalised in The Queen, where he was portrayed by Dominic Jephcott alongside Helen Mirren as the monarch, and by Andrew Havill in series five and six of Netflix’s The Crown.
He continued to play an important role in royal life in later years, recognised by observers as one of the few neutral parties who can bridge the divide between William and Harry.
Harry gave ‘standout thanks’ to Jane, Sarah and Earl Spencer in his book, and Jane was seen to attend Harry’s Invictus Games anniversary event at St Paul’s Cathedral a year ago.
The princes both attended his funeral at St. Mary’s Church in the village of Snettisham, Norfolk, where he lived, but reportedly refused to speak to each other amid an ongoing rift between them.
The younger Prince was not thought to be coming to the service due to fears for his security, coming shortly after he lost one of his legal challenges to retain royal-level police protection.
But it later emerged he did make a clandestine trip to Britain to attend the service, sitting rows apart on opposite ends of the aisle in St Mary’s, witnesses said.
They reportedly stood ‘back to back’ talking to mourners and did not speak to one another. Harry was said to have departed quickly in a black Range Rover.
Sarah, Jane and Charles Spencer all attended the touching ceremony.
The aunts looked thrilled to see their warring nephews and greeted them with an affectionate kiss on the cheek and a hug.
Sarah beamed as she held onto Harry’s shoulder and appeared to whisper something into his ear.
The Reverend Dan Tansey, the vicar who conducted the service, later told the Mail he said he did not recall Harry and William speaking to each other, but said there were ‘a lot of family members and friends speaking to them’.
‘It was a surprise but a really pleasant one that they had both come, but maybe less shocking that William was there,’ he said last August.
‘On the way out, they both said thank you for the service, and I thanked them for coming. At the reception afterwards, there was a very relaxed and cordial atmosphere.
‘It would have meant a lot to Lord Fellowes to have them both at the service. He loved them both very much.’
