Princess Diana's Friend Believes the Royal Family Is Finally "Listening" to Prince Harry

"Maybe this is a sign that the family are listening."

Princess Diana wears a white blazer with navy blue piping and buttons with a matching hat as she sits with a young Prince Harry in a suit
(Image credit: Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)

Prince William recently opened up about his late mother, Princess Diana, and brother Prince Harry in ITV documentary, Prince William: We Can End Homelessness. According to one royal expert, the Prince of Wales' comments could be interpreted as a positive sign when it comes to the Duke of Sussex's relationship with the Royal Family.

In the documentary, William reflected on Diana's charity work, which included taking her sons to visit homelessness organization The Passage. "She took Harry and I both there," William explained. "I must have been about 11, I think, probably, at the time. Maybe 10. I’d never been to anything like that before. And I was a bit anxious as to what to expect."

Journalist Richard Kay, who was a friend of Princess Diana's according to the Express, told the outlet, “Well, you could easily take that latter view that he can't not mention [Harry's name]. How could he separate Harry and him from something which his mother took them both to?"

Kay continued, "But I think there is something calculated and I think it is an olive branch."

Princess Diana wears a blue suit jacket while posing with young sons Prince Harry and Prince William who wear gray suits during a visit to Eton school

(Image credit: Getty Images/Tom Wargacki/WireImage)

It's impossible to know whether William had any particular motives in mentioning his brother in the new documentary. However, Kay suggested "maybe this is a sign that the family are listening," and could eventually reunite.

Discussing his earliest visit to The Passage, William said in the ITV documentary, "My mother went about her usual part of making everyone feel relaxed, and having a laugh and joking with everyone." He continued, "I remember at the time, kind of thinking, well, if everyone's not got a home, they're all going to be really sad."

William was also struck by "how happy an environment" there was at the London-based organization.

Princess Diana wearing a big white and blue hat and Tomasz Starzewski suit as she stands with her sons Prince Harry and Prince William at a parade to Commemorate the 50th Anniversary of VJ Day

(Image credit: Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)

"I remember having some good conversations—just playing chess and chatting," William said of the visit. "That’s when it dawned on me that there are other people out there who don't have the same life as you do."

Prince William was so impacted by his mother that he went on to become the royal patron of The Passage.

"I feel, with my position and my platform, I should be delivering change," William explained in the documentary. "I've spent enough time learning and listening to what people have been through that I feel almost guilty every time I leave that I'm not doing more to help."

Amy Mackelden
Contributing Editor

Amy Mackelden is a contributing editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.