Princess Diana's Photographer Says She'd Be "Heartbroken" Over William and Harry's Rift

Whatever your opinion on the royal family, it's hard not to feel profoundly sad over the ever-expanding chasm between Prince William and Prince Harry. The two sons of the late Princess Diana have admitted that they're on "different paths" (opens in new tab) (Harry's words), and the rumored bitterness  (opens in new tab)between the once-close brothers reached an apex when Prince Harry, along with wife Meghan Markle, stepped down from the senior royal family in January, reportedly leaving William, the Queen, and Prince Charles mired in "hurt” and “disappointment." Speaking to Page Six,  (opens in new tab)Jayne Fincher, a royal photographer who watched the boys grow up, said that Princess Diana "would be heartbroken."

Fincher took some of the late princess' most iconic shots (opens in new tab), and published a coffee-table book in 1998 of her favorite shots of Diana. (opens in new tab) She told Page Six: “[Diana] would be doing everything she could to try and solve it. She’d be doing everything to be the peacemaker. She’d be shaking the boy’s heads together saying, ‘For goodness sake. What’s going on here?’ and I think she’d be trying to make peace between the girls, too.” Growing up, she said, the two boys "did everything together...The boys have gone through so much together.”

It's been more than two decades since Diana's death, but both of her sons have shown a deep commitment to keeping her memory alive. Harry said in 2016:  (opens in new tab)"We will do everything we can to make sure she's never forgotten, and carry on all of the special gifts and such that she had and that she portrayed when she was alive." William clearly shares his sentiment, saying in a different 2016 interview (opens in new tab): "I never realized quite how much of an impact she had. I applaud her for all her dedication and drive, and I think the infectious enthusiasm and all the energy she had really rubbed off on me."

The brothers were famously close in the years after her passing, with Harry giving a toast at William's wedding to Kate that called William "the perfect brother" (opens in new tab); he added that he loved Kate "like a sister." Before Harry formed his own royal household after his marriage, he was very close to the Cambridges, frequently doing events as a three-person group.

There have been conflicting reports about William and Harry's relationship at present; it's been reported that they're both still deeply hurt (opens in new tab), but other reports suggest they're beginning to try to fix things between them (opens in new tab). With the brothers no longer doing joint engagements and living on separate continents, with Harry in Canada for now and William, the future King of England, living in the U.K., it's hard to say where things will go from here.

For more stories like this, including celebrity news, beauty and fashion advice, savvy political commentary, and fascinating features, sign up for the Marie Claire newsletter.

subscribe here (opens in new tab)