William and Harry appeared to smile and laugh with each other as they greeted guests at the unveiling of their mother’s statue.
The grounds outside Kensington Palace are abuzz as members of the public eagerly await the unveiling of Princess Diana’s memorial statue — and her sons’ first reunion since several media bombshells.
According to The Sun, Prince Harry was seen leaving Windsor Castle in the back of a Land Rover to meet his brother at Kensington Palace. He was then pictured standing shoulder-to-shoulder with William once he arrived.
Meanwhile, Diana’s brother Earl Charles Spencer and sisters Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Lady Jane Fellowes arrived on foot.
The trio walked through the crowds, stopping to look at tributes to their sister.
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A live stream on The Su
Brothers come together for Diana
Warring brothers Harry and William are currently reuniting privately in the gardens of Kensington Palace as they celebrate what would have been their mother’s 60th birthday with the statue they commissioned together in 2017. They have reportedly been exchanging text messages in the past few days ahead of the event.
Today’s ceremony will be small, with just a handful of guests including Diana’s closest relatives, a sculptor, landscape gardener and one photographer.
The Queen, Prince Charles and Kate Middleton will not be present, while Meghan Markle has remained in the US with kids Archie and Lilibet.
Royal fans gather
Visitors are gathered excitedly outside the Palace, and will be allowed in to see the statue in the Sunken Garden, which is usually open to the public, following the private unveiling.
Many appear to have been waiting for hours before the event was set to take place, some placing flowers and tributes for the beloved People’s Princess to mark her 60th birthday.
On The Sun’s live stream from the scene, some Diana fans could be heard saying ‘we love you’ and ‘we miss you’ as they waited.
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Hopes for positive steps forward
As Princes Harry and William prepared to face each other amid their ongoing feud, royal sources weighed in on how the brothers are expected to appear to the public.
According to royal reporter and close friend of the Sussexes Omid Scobie, they will “keep things professional” during the event, while another unnamed source told the Daily Mail they have actually been texting since Harry’s arrival.
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Prince Harry touched down solo in the UK last Friday. The 36-year-old made his first public appearance at the WellChild Awards in London yesterday following his five-day quarantine stint at Frogmore Cottage.
Meanwhile, William, his wife Kate Middleton and son Prince George were pictured attending the UEFA EURO 2020 in London on the same day.
Before the unveiling, Omid Scobie downplayed what was likely to be a tense reunion after Harry’s recent bombshell interviews.
It comes after reports the two argued after the funeral of their grandfather Prince Philip, the last time Harry was in London in April.
“What we will see is two brothers being professional in a moment that is not about them,” Scobie said today.
“This is going to be a moment we see them put everything to one side. We will just see professionalism and nothing else.”
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Other signs between the brothers have reportedly been more positive.
According to the Daily Mail, sources close to their uncle, Diana’s brother Earl Spencer, have said there is hope the emotional day may bring them together again. They have even organised to meet privately after the ceremony.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussexes’ shocking departure from royal life triggered 18 months of frostiness between the brothers, with Harry opening up about their rocky relationship in several interviews.
Tension remains from Harry’s last trip
At Prince Philip’s funeral, Harry and William looked far from mending their fractured bond, but it could shift after today, with the Daily Mail quoting an unnamed source who said they had been in contact.
The source claims the sport-loving princes texted in celebration of England’s win over Germany in the UEFA EURO 2020 before today.
“It is still far from good between them,” the source explained.
“But there has apparently been an exchange of messages, particularly about the football, which is a step in the right direction, if only to do honour to their mother.”
RELATED: Harry’s palace return triggers ‘emergency’
According to Robert Lacey, the author of Battle of Brothers, Prince Harry is prepared to admit his “sheer temper” played a part in his rift with William and Kate.
Harry’s visit marks the first time he has returned home since blasting the Royal Family on his mental health TV show, accusing them of “neglect”.
He also slammed Prince Charles and his childhood by claiming he moved his family to the US to “break the cycle of pain”.
While today’s private affair will not be televised, The Sun is running a live stream outside Kensington Palace for the entirety of the event to catch a glimpse of the brothers together.
We will be following the aftermath of the ceremony live right here.
