London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Aug 04, 2026

Prince Philip funeral: William and Harry seen chatting after ceremony

Prince Philip funeral: William and Harry seen chatting after ceremony

The Duke of Cambridge and the Duke of Sussex were seen talking together as they left the funeral of their grandfather, the Duke of Edinburgh.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were seen chatting with the Duke of Sussex after the service

The brothers spoke as they left St George's Chapel in Windsor, alongside the Duchess of Cambridge.

It is the first public meeting of the pair since Prince Harry stood down from royal duties more than a year ago.

Last month, Prince Harry hinted at ongoing difficulties between him and Prince William.

In an interview with Oprah, he said the two were on "different paths", and that "the relationship is 'space' at the moment".

On Saturday, the princes walked with their cousin Peter Phillips in between them, as they walked behind their grandfather's coffin on its short journey to the chapel.

It was nearly 24 years since the two brothers made a similar walk together at the funeral of their mother Diana, Princess of Wales.
At the funeral service, the 30 members of the congregation wore face masks and socially distanced in line with Covid restrictions, with the Queen seated alone.

Prince William and Prince Harry walked either side of their cousin Peter Phillips, who trailed slightly behind them

Also alone, Prince Harry sat on the opposite side of the aisle to his brother and sister-in-law Catherine.

Prince Harry's wife, Meghan, who is pregnant with their second child, did not attend the funeral on the advice of her doctor and instead stayed at their home in California.

The service, conducted by the Dean of Windsor, paid tribute to Prince Philip's "kindness, humour and humanity" and the "many ways in which his long life has been a blessing to us".


The body language didn't look encouraging on the walk down to the chapel, though it was hardly the occasion for fraternal chit-chat.

The cameras did catch William and Harry as they left the chapel after the duke's funeral. Harry was talking to Catherine - William seemed a little reluctant to engage.

There is a rift. It is a distraction nobody would have wanted on a solemn occasion such as this and certainly not their grieving grandmother.

William feels let down and Harry appears to feel resentful. He is also very caught up in the lifestyle and attitudes of California.

So what impact, one wonders, will this brief but intense re-immersion in his old life have had on Harry?

He's been surrounded by his family on a day of heightened emotion. He's been surrounded too by the military and ceremonial: two things which he professes to admire.

Everything today must have said "duty" to him, the thing many say he's walked away from.

Will it have given Harry any second thoughts about the path he's taken? Will it have softened William's disappointment with his younger brother?

And most important, did they find time for a proper heart to heart, in deference to the memory of their grandfather who would undoubtedly urge them to move on and sort this out?


The duke's association with the Royal Navy and love of the sea also featured heavily, including through the 1860 hymn Eternal Father, Strong to Save, by William Whiting.

After the ceremony, Prince Harry joined Prince William and Catherine as they left the chapel. The three chatted together as they made their way up the hill to the main grounds of the castle.

Like the other royal spouses, the Duchess of Cambridge was not part of the pre-funeral procession and was instead taken to the chapel by car


Meghan and Prince Harry sent a floral wreath, with locally sourced flowers, which included the national flower of Greece, to represent Prince Philip's heritage, and sea holly, to represent the Royal Marines.

The card on the wreath was handwritten by Meghan, who is skilled in calligraphy and used to write wedding invitations.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Europe’s Drying Rivers Trigger Power Cuts, Factory Shutdowns and Wildfire Emergencies
Nigel Farage Expresses Openness to Potential Alliance with Restore Britain
Triple Lock Lifts UK State Pension but Leaves a Wider Retirement Gap
Danube Drought Forces Hungary’s Paks Nuclear Plant Into Full Shutdown
Ceuta Death Toll Rises as Spain and Europe Clash Over Border Response
Cuba’s Grid Fails Again as Fuel Crisis Deepens
Nazca Lines Flight Crash Kills Thirteen as Peru Suspends Aerodiana
Modern Slavery Decisions Broaden the Al Fayed Inquiry’s Frame
FIFA’s Retreat Leaves a Larger Question Over Who Guards the Game
Two Firefighting Crew Members Die in Helicopter Collision West of Athens
Public Sector Automation Through Artificial Intelligence
Regional Investment Beyond London
Protection of Strategic Technology Assets
UK Competition Regulator Blocks Major Foreign Takeover of British Quantum Computing Firm
UK Government Commits Two Billion Pounds to Modernise Northern Rail Network
UK Parliament Approves Planning Reforms to Accelerate Housing Construction on Green Belt Land
Scotland Approves Major Floating Offshore Wind Expansion in the North Sea
United Kingdom and European Union Sign Defence and Critical Minerals Cooperation Agreement
NHS Invests Five Hundred Million Pounds in Artificial Intelligence Diagnostics to Reduce Waiting Lists
Bank of England Cuts Interest Rate to Three Point Seven Five Percent as Inflation Pressures Ease
Ceuta Border Surge Recasts Europe’s Migration Debate
Burnham Promises a Harder Channel Response as Crossings Test His New Government
Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games End With Organisers Defending Smaller Format as Sustainable Model
Reform UK Faces Labour Criticism Over Nigel Farage Leadership Return Discussions
Environment Agency Restricts River Thames Navigation as Low Water Levels Raise Concerns
UK Government Launches Free Bus Travel Scheme for Children During Summer Holidays
Chancellor Rachel Reeves Confirms October Budget Date and Plans Wider Regional Funding Shift
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Promises Tougher Action on Small Boat Crossings Amid European Migration Pressure
UK Economic Growth Forecast Raised Slightly as Inflation Expected to Remain Above Target Until 2029
National Farmers Union Warns of Food Shortage Risks as Drought and Heatwaves Damage UK Crops
Finland Deploys Commercial-Scale Thermal Batteries Using Crushed Rock to Store Renewable Grid Energy
Valued at $109 Million: F-35B Fighter Jet Crashes in Southern California
Sainsbury Agrees to Sell Argos in £120 Million Deal to Private Consortium
High Court Clears Way for Construction of Chinese Embassy at Royal Mint Court
UK Fuel Prices Climb to Multi-Month Highs as Strait of Hormuz Tensions Disrupt Oil Supplies
Severe Summer Drought and Record Heat Put UK Harvests at Risk
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Faces Labour Backbench Opposition Over Potential Support for New North Sea Oil and Gas Drilling
Bank of England Warns Inflation Will Stay Above 3% as Middle East Energy Shock Prolongs Cost-of-Living Pressures
Andy Burnham has Announces Plans to Redistribute Income Tax Revenue to English Mayors
Early-Release Scheme Faces Fresh Scrutiny as Reoffending and Prison Recalls Rise
Police Phone Checks Followed Report on Murder of MI5 Agent Inside Sinn Féin
Archbishop of Canterbury Reaffirms £100 Million Reparative Justice Fund During Ghana Visit
Charities Allege French Police Used Tear Gas Against Channel Migrants
Norwegian Teenager Convicted Over Iran-Linked Murder Plot in Britain
Christian Organisations File Charity Complaints Against Amnesty International UK
Ofgem Tightens Grid Connection Rules for New Data Centres
FTSE 100 Reaches Record High Despite Global Technology Sell-Off
Millions of UK Households Urged to Check Eligibility for Winter Energy Discount
Labour Restores Parliamentary Whips to Diane Abbott and Joani Reid
UK Supreme Court to Hear Challenge Over Palestine Action Ban
×