The Duke of Sussex made a discreet return to the UK for Lord Robert Fellowes' service on Wednesday. The 82-year-old, married to Princess Diana's sister Lady Jane, was an uncle to both Prince William and Prince Harry and passed away earlier last month.
His funeral took place yesterday in Norfolk, with both brothers present. They had not been in communication since another somber occasion - their beloved grandmother Queen Elizabeth II's funeral in 2022.
At the funeral, they were reportedly "discreet" around each other, according to a source speaking to the Sun. Another attendee remarked: "We never saw them speak to each other and they kept their distance."
Last month, ex-BBC Royal correspondent Jennie Bond commented on the potential discomfort of Harry's attendance, saying: "I imagine Harry will want to be at his uncle's funeral... but his presence would cause all sorts of awkwardness if William attends too. It would be nice to think, though, two grown-up men could at least be in the same space... as they were at the Coronation, albeit briefly... without ruining an occasion of great sadness and solemnity."
Lord Fellowes, Princess Diana's brother-in-law who tied the knot with Diana's elder sister Lady Jane back on April 20, 1978, passed away after over four decades of marriage. They had a family of three Laura, Alexander, and Eleanor, all of whom share cousinship with Princes William and Harry.
Notably, Laura holds the esteemed role of godmother to Princess Charlotte, the daughter of William and Kate Middleton.
In his professional life, Lord Fellowes served as the late Queen's private secretary during the nineties, an era that saw both Prince Charles and Dianas marriage and Fergie and Prince Andrew's union dissolve. He was in office too when disaster struck Windsor Castle in 1992, as fire ravaged through 115 of its rooms.
His tenure continued through the untimely demise of Diana after a tragic car accident in Paris when she was just 36.
The demands of being a Royal courtier meant that Lord Fellowes experienced some tension with Diana. Yet upon her death, he expressed genuine affection: "I was deeply fond of her. She was a very good person. She found it difficult in life to find happiness, and I'm sad for people who have that situation."
Lord Fellowes' legacy lives on through his children - Laura, Alexander, and Eleanor - who also bear connection to Princes William and Harry.
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