In a surprise move, estranged brothers Prince William and Prince Harry made a joint appearance at their uncle Lord Robert Fellowes' funeral, though reports claim the pair avoided each other throughout the proceedings.
On Wednesday, Aug. 28, the brothers "discreetly" attended their departed uncle's service at St. Mary's Church in Snettisham, Norfolk. Previous reports claimed the Duke of Sussex would not attend the funeral in-person, due to ongoing security concerns.
However, that was not the case. According to a family friend who spoke to the The Sun, "both princes were there" and sat in the back of the church.
The same insider claims that the estranged brothers did not sit near one another, while another said the brothers' presence was so discreet they "didn't know they were there."
"They arrived very discreetly," the insider continued.
Yet another local said that while the brothers were both there, no one "saw them speak to each other."
"They were keeping their distance," the individual said.
Prince William and Prince Harry.
According to The Sun, the surprise joint appearance marks the first time the brothers have appeared in the same room since their father, King Charles', coronation more than a year ago.
Lord Fellowes, the late Princess Diana's brother-in-law and the embattled brothers' uncle, died on July 29 at 82 years of age from an undisclosed cause, The Times reported in a published obituary.
Fellowes also served as an assistant private secretary, deputy private secretary, and private secretary to the late Queen Elizabeth.
Earlier reports indicate the brothers' relationship is still strained, arguably more than ever before. For example, Prince William allegedly does not want his brother at his future coronation when he becomes the king of England. The Prince of Wales reportedly ignores his brother's calls and texts, and is "spitting mad" every time Prince Harry talks about their late mother in the press.
Even when Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle have voiced their support and concern for Prince William's wife, Kate Middleton, as she continues preventative chemotherapy treatment for an unspecified type of cancer, Prince William takes offense—reportedly because the Duke and Duchess of Sussex referred to Catherine as "Kate."
Prince William and Prince Harry.
Still, there are some reportedly small but hopeful signs that the brothers are on a slow path toward reconciliation.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are reportedly hoping to "trigger a truce" in the wake of Middleton's cancer diagnosis, for example.
“Both Harry and Meghan have been following Kate’s recovery with huge interest, but, sadly, it’s had to be more from afar because their lines of communication with the Palace and the Waleses, in particular, are very limited, to say the least,” a source told OK. “They have had enough information to know that people are excited about the idea of a comeback for Kate, and they’re both relieved and happy to hear that she’s on the mend and may soon be well enough to return to her duties.”
Others believe Prince Harry's decision not to add any updates to the paperback addition of his tell-all memoir Spare is a sign he is willing to reconcile.
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