Prince William and Prince Harry May Be Divided — but Diana's One Value Keeps Them Connected
For all the fractures that divide the House of Windsor, there remains one thread binding its most famous brothers. Prince William and Prince Harry may live worlds apart, one destined for the throne, the other self-exiled in California, but both are raising their children with a principle instilled in them long ago by their late mother, Princess Diana. That principle is authenticity.
Friends and historians alike say it is the deepest imprint Diana left on her sons, a commitment to providing their children with lives rooted in compassion, honesty, and a sense of normalcy rarely afforded to royalty. Despite the estrangement that has shadowed William and Harry since the Sussexes’ dramatic 2020 departure, both have tended to carry that legacy into their homes. Photographs of Diana adorn the walls where their children grow up. Each brother gave his daughter “Diana” as a middle name. And both make a point of telling stories about the grandmother their children never met, according to PEOPLE.
Historian Amanda Foreman calls it “pure Diana.” She notes that while the brothers’ feud dominates headlines, their role as fathers is where her spirit endures. “The values they are instilling and discussing as families may be their best success,” she tells PEOPLE. William and Kate Middleton are raising Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis with a deliberate emphasis on balance, carving out moments of ordinary family life even under the pressures of monarchy. Meanwhile, Harry and Meghan Markle have built a California home centered on freedom and authenticity for their children, Archie and Lilibet.
Foreman said, "The values they are instilling and discussing as families may be their best success. They are both very good role models as parents." The brothers’ bond with Diana also extends into their public work. William has made homelessness one of his defining causes, mirroring Diana’s visits to shelters and her empathy for those on society’s margins. Harry, in turn, was deeply shaped by Diana’s outreach to AIDS patients, finding his own path through work with vulnerable communities in Southern Africa and through Sentebale, the charity he co-founded, the BBC reported.
Yet, the irony is hard to miss. The very value that binds them as parents and campaigners has not healed their own divide. In memoirs and interviews, Harry has accused William and the institution of betrayal. William, for his part, has stayed silent but resolute, unwilling to bend. Royal biographer Robert Lacey calls their rift “profound and long-lasting,” with reconciliation unlikely unless Harry makes the first move.
Still, Diana’s influence acts like a bridge between them. Tessy Ojo, CEO of The Diana Award, says she has seen both men react with pride when young people who never met Diana describe her impact. “There is a sense of awe,” Ojo explained. “It’s like they both think, ‘That’s my mother. She did that.’”
Experts agree that the brothers’ estrangement limits the force they could generate together. “If they could unite, properly and genuinely, the effect would be seismic,” says Foreman. “But even apart, the value they share is the one that matters most to Diana’s legacy.”