Prince Harry has begun contacting friends of his late mother, Princess Diana, to participate in a film project focused on her life, according to Richard Kay, Senior Editor-at-Large for the Daily Mail. Kay stated on the "Palace Confidential" program that this endeavor is expected to be a significant focus for the Prince during his time in Britain.
Next year will mark the 30th anniversary of Princess Diana's death in Paris, an occasion anticipated to bring renewed attention to her legacy. Kay suggested this anniversary could create further tension between Prince Harry and his brother, Prince William, whose relationship is understood to be strained, with the brothers reportedly not speaking for approximately four years. Their last public appearance together was at the coronation in May 2023.
"Diana has dominated the thinking of both William and Harry for the last ten years," Kay commented. He noted that the documentaries made for the 20th anniversary of Diana's death, nine years ago, were the last time the siblings were closely aligned on matters concerning their mother.
Kay indicated that Harry's presence in Britain is partly to pursue this film project. "I am told that one of the reasons Harry's here is to make a television film, his own film, about his mother. I know he has been reaching out to his friends and others who knew her, asking them to contribute. That's going to occupy a lot of his headspace over the next twelve months," he said.
He also touched on the public perception of Harry's connection to his mother's legacy, stating, "People always link Harry to Diana, but she was the mother of two boys. William is just as much his mother's son as Harry is, and Harry has tried to claim the Diana legacy for himself." Kay suggested that Prince William experiences frustration over what he perceives as Harry's efforts to align himself with the Spencer family name to distance himself from the House of Windsor.
Harry's recent visit to Britain in July included a stay with Diana's family at their Althorp estate. This reported film project follows the announcement by Diana's brother, Earl Spencer, that he has written a new book about his sister, scheduled for release this month. Separately, reports indicate that Prince Harry and Meghan are considering a home in the Cotswolds that includes a film studio among its desired features.
In related commentary on "Palace Confidential," Diary Editor Richard Eden reported that Prince William and Catherine, the Princess of Wales, plan to ignore any public gestures from the Sussexes. "Friends of theirs say: why should they do anything differently? They are two people who are now private citizens, not working royals. It should make no difference whether they are in California or Britain," Eden stated, adding, "To me, it's like a spoiled child, if you give in, what do they do? They just demand more. You have got to be firm with them, or it will lead, I think, to the end of the monarchy."