Princess Diana expressed concern that Prince Harry would face difficulties finding his place in the royal family due to the prominence of his brother, Prince William, the future king. This insight comes from a royal expert and resurfaces as a three-part documentary titled “Diana Unheard” draws attention to Diana’s thoughts. This documentary features unreleased audio from five hours of secret recordings that Diana made with her friend Dr. James Colthurst in 1991.
The producers of the documentary revealed to Deadline that these recordings, used in Andrew Morton’s 1992 biography “Diana: Her True Story,” capture Diana’s candid discussions about her sons, the line of succession, her troubled marriage to then-Prince Charles, and aspects of royal life.
“Diana worried from the beginning that Harry might wither in the shadow of his brother the future king,” said Christopher Andersen, a British royals expert.
Andersen highlighted that William was aware of their mother’s concerns and often tried to protect Harry from feeling marginalized. This was evident in one of William’s last conversations with Diana, just hours before her death in August 1997, where he expressed concern about a photo opportunity at Eton that might leave Harry feeling ignored.
Princess Diana passed away at age 36 in a car crash in Paris. Her partner, Dodi Fayed, and their driver, Henri Paul, also died in the accident. Just before her death, Diana had a phone conversation with William, then 15, during which he mentioned his worry about a solo photocall that might make Harry, then 12, feel overlooked.
While Diana believed in William’s capabilities as the future king, she was uncertain about how the “heir-and-spare” dynamic would impact Harry. She described William as wise and mature, which reassured her about his potential success in his role.
“Harry was another matter,” Andersen noted. He said Harry, while viewed publicly as charming, might develop deep insecurities from constantly being overshadowed by William.
Despite these fears, Diana treasured the bond between her sons and likely did not foresee their estrangement. “Looking back, it’s so odd to remember how close the brothers truly were,” Andersen said. Diana considered their bond unbreakable, thinking they would support each other through life’s challenges.
Royal expert Kinsey Schofield agreed that Diana did not anticipate a rift between the brothers. She was more concerned about the individual pressures of royal life on both sons than their unity. Diana understood they were destined for different roles, with William set for kingship and Harry playing a supporting role. Schofield pointed out that Harry once enjoyed popularity through his public service and military career.
The experts agreed that Diana would have been shocked at the current state of William and Harry’s relationship. The estrangement reportedly became public in 2018. It widened after Harry and Meghan Markle decided in 2020 to step back from royal duties and further soured after public revelations in interviews and Harry’s memoir “Spare.”
Hilary Fordwich, another expert, cautioned against viewing Diana’s past concerns as reflecting current circumstances due to the time elapsed and events since her passing.
While Diana was known for challenging royal norms, experts like Andersen and Schofield believed she might not have approved of Harry’s withdrawal from royal duties, as she valued tradition and the sense of duty. She envisioned both her sons being happy, maintaining a close relationship, and growing into responsible, compassionate men.
These recordings could reaffirm Diana’s maternal priorities and remind audiences of her legacy shared by both sons.
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