A GUEST at Prince Harry’s Invictus ceremony claims that noticeable absences revealed the royal family’s ‘emotional indifference.’
The Sun’s Royal Editor Matt Wilkinson described how he had attended a thanksgiving service in St Paul’s Cathedral to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games earlier this week.
Speaking on The Sun’s Royal Exclusive show, Matt described how Harry had been surrounded by loved ones, but very few family members.
He said: “It was clear no members of the royal family would turn up.
“We had ‘Marko’, Mark Dyer there, an old friend of Harry’s and a major figure in his life, Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, his former mentor, was also there.
“He was surrounded by people there who like him.”
Matt went on to describe one guest in particular who stood out.
“One of the most provocative guests would have been Earl Spencer, Princess Diana’s brother,” he said.
“He was famously at Diana’s funeral with a very strongly worded speech and address that got a round of applause from people outside.
“He talked about blood family and blood relatives and looking after William and Harry.
“He doesn’t get on with King Charles but he was there with Diana’s sister and cousins to support Harry.”
Newsweek’s Chief Royal Correspondent Jack Royston went on to explain the significance of those in attendance.
He said: “What Harry’s done here and what he’s been able to do, is (have a) Spencer turn out to show him love and warmth and to show him respect for his project at his big moment.”
Jack continued: “The Spencers were there and Charles wasn’t and William wasn’t – it’s that framing that the royals are emotionally indifferent and the warmth comes from Diana’s side of the family.”
The Duke of Sussex, 39, was all smiles at St Paul’s Cathedral on Wednesday during another whistle-stop tour to the UK in which he didn’t visit his dad or brother.
Despite the King being just two miles away from his youngest son, Charles was too busy hosting Buckingham Palace‘s first Garden party of the year to meet him.
However, Harry was backed by Princess Diana’s siblings Earl Spencer and Lady Jane Fellowes at the service marking 10 years of his Invictus Games.
Ingrid Seward, editor of Majesty magazine and friend of Princess Diana, said the Spencers’ presence was significant.
She said: “They are very supportive of Harry and always have been.
“It sends a clear signal to the Royal Family and to Harry that Diana’s family are there for him.
“At his address at Diana’s funeral, Charles Spencer said he would look out for William and Harry in her place.
“He said, ‘We your blood family will do all we can to continue the imaginative way in which you were steering theses two exceptional young men so that their souls are not simply immersed by duty and tradition but can sing openly as you had planned’.
“Charles Spencer wanted the Spencer family to be prominent above all others, but the boys were sucked up by the Royal Family.
“Now that Harry has left the Royal Family, the Spencers have laid claim to him again.”
Harry hugged his late mum’s brother and sister Earl Spencer, 59, and Lady Jane Fellowes, 67, outside St Paul’s ahead of the service.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex touched down in Africa for their three-day visit on Friday.
This is Harry and Meghan’s first trip to Nigeria as a couple, although they did a royal tour of southern Africa in 2019 when they were working royals.
They stepped down from royal duties and relocated across the pond in 2020 – with their departure dubbed ‘Megxit’.
During this visit to Nigeria, Meghan and Harry visited three cities in their efforts to get the country to host the Invictus Games in 2029.
