Prince William’s wife Kate Middleton’s absence from Princess Diana’s memorial ceremony to mark what would have been her 60th birthday on Thursday will be “telling on so many levels,” a source close to the royal family said.
Though it was expected that the Duchess of Cambridge would be playing the role of a peacemaker between Prince William and his younger brother, Prince Harry … she reportedly stayed away to keep the number down, a source said, “Catherine’s absence speaks volumes.”
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“I think keeping the numbers down is a perfect ‘excuse’ for Catherine to stay away. William is fed up with the drama and Catherine doesn’t need to be dragged into this. They are planning a private family visit with their children, and that private moment is far more important than the public rhetoric.”
“William is determined that the Sussex drama does not overshadow this important moment of remembrance to his much-missed mother and is keeping that as his focus,” the source added.
Last week it was reported that invitations to the unveiling at Kensington Palace had already been drastically scaled back in recent days from the 100-plus guests originally planned due to COVID-19-related rules.
Prince Charles, Diana’s ex-husband will also stay away from the event to avoid bringing up past issues.
A source told the UK Times that, “It brings back memories for him; happy, sad, regretful. Since Diana’s death, he has felt it’s best to keep those memories to himself and leave his sons to it.”
According to the palace, William and Harry will be joined only by Diana’s close family, the statue committee, the sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley and garden designer Pip Morrison.
Prince Harry is currently in the UK and is quarantining at his Windsor home, Frogmore Cottage, where he is believed to have been visited by his grandmother Queen Elizabeth II. Meanwhile, Meghan Markle and their son Archie and daughter Lilibet Diana stayed back in California.
