Prince William asked for a family member to be placed between him and Prince Harry at their grandfather’s funeral, it has been claimed.
The brothers appeared to put their differences behind them during Saturday’s service for Prince Philip, but reports suggest William, the future King, asked for cousin Peter Phillips to separate him from Harry.
The royal family are continuing to grieve this week following the Duke of Edinburgh’s death, though the period of national mourning has finished.
The low-key ceremony in St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle saw Prince Charles joined by the Princess Royal, Duke of York and Earl of Wessex behind Philip’s coffin – which was carried by a Land Rover Defender hearse he helped design.
Next behind were the duke’s grandsons the Duke of Sussex and Duke of Cambridge, but they were not next to one another, with Peter Phillips, who is the Queen and Philip’s eldest grandchild, in between. Vice Admiral Tim Laurence, the Princess Royal’s husband, and the Queen’s nephew the Earl of Snowdon also followed.
Harry and William – who have a troubled relationship – could be seen walking together in conversation after the ceremony.
A royal source suggested to Metro.co.uk that there had not been a request by William for Peter Phillips to be placed between them during the ceremony, but some reports allege otherwise.
It was the first time the pair had appeared together in public since Harry left for LA with his wife Meghan Markle.
Since a bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey, relations with the rest of the Royal family have been damaged.
Sources told The Mail on Sunday that Harry experienced ‘a great deal of frostiness’ from many of his relatives since returning to the UK.
It is not known how long Harry intends to stay in the country before heading back to pregnant Meghan in the US.
Family plans for Sunday have not been made public.
The country was in national mourning from Philip’s death on April 9 until and including the day of the funeral, when a minute’s silence was observed at 3pm – a few months short of the Duke’s 100th birthday.
Among the 30 guests at the funeral were the Duchess of Cambridge and the Countess of Wessex, and her children Viscount Severn and Lady Louise Windsor.
The Queen, who was married to Philip for 73 years, sat on her own during the event.
Zara and Mike Tindall, Princess Beatrice and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, and Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank were also among the mourners.
Three of Philip’s German relatives were invited, as was his close friend Countess Mountbatten of Burma.
Philip was the guiding force behind the preparations for his funeral, which was pared back because of Covid restrictions, with guests reduced from around 800 to 30 and the public elements cancelled.
In a moment never seen before on television, the duke’s coffin was slowly lowered into the royal vault as his titles were read out at the end of the service.
Kensington Palace did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Metro.co.uk.
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MORE : Prince Philip joins Tudors and Stuarts in vaults beneath St George’s Chapel
Prince Philip funeral: Key details
Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh passed away on Friday April 9, just two months shy of his 100th birthday.
Today, the Duke was interred in the Royal Vault at St George’s Chapel - where he will remain until his wife of 73 years dies, whereupon they will be buried together.
Although well-wishers were urged to not line the streets of Windsor, they could watch the ceremony on TV.
Here are the key details: