Princess Diana's Personal Letters Highlight How "Inseparable" William and Harry Once Were

The princess' intimate letters are being sold at auction.

Princess Diana and her sons, Prince William & Prince Harry, go on the water ride at 'Thorpe Park' Amusement Park.
(Image credit: Julian Parker/UK Press via Getty Images)

The royal rift between Prince Harry and Prince William shows no signs of abating. The royal brothers previously seemed extremely close, although their friendship reportedly wasn't without its problems. Now, a royal photographer is reflecting on William and Harry's once close bond.

Some of Princess Diana's personal letters, which discuss her two sons, are being sold at auction. Royal photographer Arthur Edwards spoke to The Sun about Diana's words, and what she may have thought about William and Harry's broken relationship.

"They were very close," Edwards told the publication. "I mean, they did everything together. They were just inseparable." He continued, "It's no longer like that, I'm afraid."

Princess Diana at Kensington Palace with sons Prince William and Prince Harry.

Princess Diana at Kensington Palace with sons Prince William and Prince Harry.

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

While speaking to The Sun, Edwards also speculated that Diana's letters may change Prince Harry's mind about the royal rift. "If Harry read one of those letters from his mother, maybe he'll have a rethink about how he is going to be in future towards his brother," Edwards explained.

Edwards also mused on the fact that Harry had left his home in the U.K. for a life in California with wife Meghan Markle. "Harry could have had a great life here," Edwards told the tabloid. "He was respected here. He was much loved by the media, by the nation." The royal photographer suggested that Prince Harry received much more adulation in England than he ever will in the United States. "In America, he's just another celebrity in a town full of celebrities," Edwards said. "He might be wealthier, but I bet he's not happier."

Prince William and Prince Harry laughing.

Prince William and Prince Harry are no longer as close as they once were.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

While being interviewed for ITV documentary Tabloids on Trial, Prince Harry opened up about his decision to pursue legal action against some of Britain's newspapers. When asked whether the court cases contributed to his fractured relationship with the royal family, Harry responded (via The Guardian), "Yeah, that’s certainly a central piece to it." He continued, "But, you know, that’s a hard question to answer because anything I say about my family results in a torrent of abuse from the press."

In the same documentary, Harry shared his desire for royal family members to join his fight against the British tabloids. "I’ve made it very clear that this is something that needs to be done," he explained. "It would be nice if we, you know, did it as a family."

Amy Mackelden
Weekend Editor

Amy Mackelden is the weekend 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.

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