Prince Harry’s uncle still sees Royal Family ‘as the enemy’ and thinks Diana’s son was ‘hard done by’
Princess Diana’s brother was in attendance at Prince Harry’s Invictus Games service at St Paul’s Cathedral on Wednesday.
The duo came together for a significant service commemorating the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games. There was speculation that Harry might have to attend the event solo, given the Royal Family’s decision not to participate.
Fortunately, Earl Spencer and Lady Jane Fellowes, both siblings of the late Princess Diana, arrived to show their support for Harry.
Royal expert Tom Quinn believes the show of solidarity “speaks volumes about where their loyalties lie”.
Speaking exclusively to The Mirror, he said: “Harry may have cut a lonely figure at St Pauls, but he did have one other family supporting him – his mother’s family. Diana’s sister Lady Jane Fellowes was there as well as her brother, Earl Spencer.
“The Spencer family have always felt uncomfortable with the Royal Family after the death of Harry and William’s mother. Earl Spencer, Diana’s brother, was openly critical of the way the Royal Family treated his sister and of course that criticism largely centred on Prince Charles (as he then was).”
Princess Diana sadly died in August 1997 in a fatal car crash in Paris. Tom said there is “still a lot of bitterness around” and said the Spencers’ decision to support Harry was significant.
The expert told : “The fact that the Spencers were out in force for Harry on this visit speaks volumes about where their loyalties lie. Like Harry, the Spencers still see the Royal Family, to some extent, as the enemy.
“If anyone is taking sides, the Spencers will always take sides with Harry simply because they feel he was hard done by and Harry hugely appreciates their support.”
While Earl Charles Spencer and Lady Jane Fellowes attended the Invictus Games service, Harry was alone as he walked up the steps to the entrance of the cathedral. As the event took place, King Charles was flanked by a huge contingent of royals in a show of unity at this afternoon’s Buckingham Palace garden party, which took place just two miles away.
For the unversed the then Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer were married at St. Paul’s on July 29, 1981, in a traditional Church of England wedding service.
Later on December 9, 1992, it was announced that Charles and Diana had decided to separate but would continue to fulfill their public duties and to share the responsibility of raising their sons.
On April 9, 2005, he married Camilla Parker Bowles with whom he had a long-standing relationship; after the wedding, Parker Bowles took the title of duchess of Cornwall.