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DISTANT BROTHERS
William & Harry stood yards apart chatting to family at uncle’s intimate wake as details of reunion are revealed
One attendee said the seating arrangements may have been pre-planned to keep them apart
FEUDING Princes William and Harry did not speak to each other despite standing “virtually back to back” among mourners at their uncle’s memorial service.
We revealed yesterday Harry secretly dashed from his US home to the tribute for Lord Robert Fellowes.
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But the Duke of Sussex and his brother did not exchange a word at Thursday’s memorial in Snettisham, Norfolk.
One mourner said: “They were only five yards from each other.”
William and Harry chatted to mourners as they mingled at their uncle’s memorial service — but did not talk to each other, onlookers said yesterday.
At one point the princes were standing “virtually back to back” at the wake but both left separately without seemingly exchanging a word.
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To the vicar’s surprise, the brothers had put aside their bitter differences to pay respects at the service for Lord Robert Fellowes — who was married to their mother Diana’s sister.
As The Sun revealed yesterday, Harry, 39, jetted in secret from the US after previously saying he could not attend due to security fears.
Today we can reveal the brothers, who have not spoken for two years, arrived within minutes of each other on Thursday at St Mary’s Church in Snettisham, Norfolk.
They sat on opposite sides of the church, with fellow mourners and the aisle between them.
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One attendee said the seating arrangements may have been planned to keep them apart.
They told The Sun: “They were sat two or three rows back from the front, not at the back, but they were on opposite sides of the aisle.
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“And then there were family members on the rest of the seats between them, so maybe that is something that was arranged.
“They came in right before it started, after almost everyone else. Most people didn’t notice them.”
After the service, they both attended the wake in a marquee set up in the garden of widow Lady Jane Fellowes’ home next door to the church.
There they mingled with family and friends including Diana’s younger brother Earl Spencer, 60, with cakes, tea and coffee on offer.
At one stage, the feuding siblings were back to back and just yards apart — yet no one saw them share a conversation.
Our source, who lives locally but did not want to be named, continued: “They weren’t together — they were apart.
“There was a lot of people and it was well attended, but you could walk around and mingle and get tea. We wanted to speak to them but they had a lot of family who hadn’t seen them in a long time, especially Harry.
A lot of people were taking the chance to speak to them. They were only about five metres from each other, it was virtually back to back
Sun source
“A lot of people were taking the chance to speak to them. They were only about five yards from each other, it was virtually back to back.
“When we left the reception they were both still there, but as we were on a walk we saw Harry driven off in a black Range Rover.”
The memorial took place 31 days after the death of Lord Fellowes, 82, who also served as the late Queen’s Private Secretary.
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The date for the service had been a heavily guarded secret, with some claiming it was only confirmed 24 hours before.
Rev Dan Tansey, who conducted proceedings, told yesterday how he was surprised to see both Harry and William there.
He said: “It was a lovely service and there were a lot of people who wanted to be there for someone who was really well respected in the village.
"It was only as I was greeting the congregation on the way out that Prince William was shaking my hand, and then very quickly after Prince Harry did too.
"It was a surprise but a really, really pleasant surprise that they had both come.
“They both said thank you for the service and I thanked them for coming. We’ve seen Prince William in the village before.”
It was a surprise but a really, really pleasant surprise that they had both come
Rev Dan Tansey
Snettisham is close to Sandringham, and both William, now 42, and Harry have been seen drinking in the local Rose and Crown pub.
Rev Tansey said the reception afterwards was “very relaxed and cordial”.
But he added of the brothers: “I don’t recollect them speaking to each other but there were a lot of family members and friends speaking to them.
"It would have meant a lot to Lord Robert to have them both at the service because I know he and his auntie love them both very much.”
The brothers have been at loggerheads since Harry and wife Meghan quit royal duty in 2020 for a new life in the US, where they have launched a succession of barbs at the Royal Family.
Local sales director Martin Ash yesterday joked the warring siblings should take inspiration from Oasis’ Liam and Noel Gallagher — and patch things up.
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The 55-year-old, from Old Hunstanton, Norfolk, told The Sun: “It’s a step in the right direction that they’re in the same room together, even if they’re still not speaking.
“They’re both married with children. It would be good for the wider family if they could patch things up, I’m sure.
“We had the Gallagher brothers settle their differences and Noel and Liam are back as a united front. Harry and William should take inspiration. If Noel and Liam can do it, so can anyone.”
Another local in the Rose and Crown added: “It would be fun to see them smash each other over the head with a guitar before they patched things up — but really any family reunion is a good one.”
A family friend of the Fellowes, who asked to stay anonymous, said they saw both princes blending in with the congregation. They added: “There was a lot of people — and some I’d never met before. We all got on. We all chatted.”
It is not the first time the brothers have been kept apart.
Cousin Peter Phillips had to walk between them at Prince Philip’s funeral in April 2021.
They then barely shared a word months later when they unveiled a statue for their mother at Kensington Palace.
Carefully choreographed
The late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee service at St Paul’s Cathedral in June 2022 was carefully choreographed so they would not meet.
The brothers did briefly come together to look at flowers left by mourners at Windsor Castle when the Queen died in September 2022.
But it was a show of “unity” rather than any thaw in their long-running dispute.
It’s a step in the right direction that they’re in the same room together, even if they’re still not speaking
Harry and Meghan were then relegated to the second row and across the aisle from Wills and wife Kate at the funeral in Westminster Abbey.
Harry found himself even further away from his brother when he was sat on the third row at the King’s Coronation last year, when Meghan decided to stay in California for son Archie’s birthday.
Lord Fellowes was educated at Eton and worked in banking before joining the Royal Household.
He married Lady Jane Spencer in 1978, with Diana one of the bridesmaids.
He was Queen Elizabeth’s Private Secretary from 1990 to 1999, and was one of her most trusted advisers during a tumultuous period, including Di’s death.
Lord Fellowes was played by actor Andrew Havill in Netflix drama The Crown.
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A spokesman for William did not comment. Archewell has not commented.
Archewell has not commented.
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