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Privacy NoticeIn the years before the infamous royal rift between the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex, the pair – along with the Princess of Wales – were a popular trio who frequently carried out official engagements together. While the last four years have brought about a breakdown in this once strong relationship, it was still said that Kate was playing the role of the peacemaker between the warring siblings. However, since further criticism from California, the Princess’ diagnosis of cancer and her making it undeniably clear that Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis are her absolute priority, it is unsurprising to see that this role is something of the past.
The couple have had a challenging year
(Image: Danny Lawson/PA Wire)
Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond exclusively told OK!: “Catherine has far, far too much on her plate to bother about trying to rope in an estranged brother. Her focus is on her husband, her children and getting strong enough for a very gradual return to work. “I think her illness has made her marriage to William stronger than ever, and that was evident from the video. You can try playing peacemaker for just so long, and it looks as though she did make some attempt to bridge the gap. “But, in the end, your loyalty and your heart belong to your husband, and I don’t think Catherine will exert any pressure on William to hold out an olive branch to Harry unless he decides that’s what he wants. And that looks wholly unlikely for the foreseeable future.” Sign up to OK!’s royal newsletter to get updates sent to your inbox for free
The trio were once incredibly close
(Image: Getty Images)
Jennie’s comments come after Christopher Andersen, author of The King claimed that following her cancer battle, Kate has “finally thrown up her hands in disgust” and is now focusing on her other priorities. Christopher told Fox News: “The idea that Kate somehow still has the time and energy to continue playing peacemaker is rubbish. She did try over a period of years and finally threw up her hands in disgust. She did her bit, but it wasn’t enough to build a bridge between William and Charles on the one side and Harry on the other.” The Princess of Wales’ latest appearance came last week when she and Prince William made a surprise visit to meet the bereaved families of the Southport stabbing victims in Merseyside.
The two couples have seen a significant rift
(Image: (Image: Getty))
While it was of course a joy to see her recovery going so well, the goal of the occasion was clear – to focus solely on the inconceivable tragedy of the attack on 29 July. “Under the radar, low profile, minimal fuss but high impact… that is exactly the sort of engagement we might have expected the Princess of Wales to undertake after such a prolonged absence, Jennie told OK! “A return to public life like this could have been all about Catherine. But, in every way, she tried to make it about the people who mattered, and not about her.
The Prince and Princess of Wales during a visit to Southport Community Centre
(Image: Danny Lawson/PA Wire)
“She dressed down… quiet, smart, unassuming, unnoteworthy. This was about the parents and the community who had suffered such unimaginable loss. “It was obviously a risk that it would make it all about her. But she did everything to stop that. There was no advance publicity, total privacy for her meetings with the parents. I hope such a significant visit brought them extra comfort.”
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