This will be the first time Prince Harry has returned home since he and the Duchess of Sussex stepped down from their royal duties and made a final formal appearance in March of 2020. It will also be the first time the Prince has seen his family members since the tell-all Oprah interview that premiered last month.
In the earth-shattering interview, the Duke of Sussex told Winfrey that he felt his brother was "trapped" by the institution, saying, "I’m part of the system with them. I always have been. But I guess there is—I’m very aware of this—that my brother can’t leave that system. But I have." Following this statement, the brothers did not speak for a period, until Harry finally called his brother and father to see how they were feeling.
While communication had begun to develop, it was thought that the Duke of Sussex would not be seeing his family again until this July, when they all planned to come together for the unveiling of the Princess Diana memorial statue at Kensington Gardens.
Now, it seems a reunion will happen sooner than planned. Hopefully, the tragic circumstances will be a chance for the royal family to overcome recent challenges and come together again. Royal historian Penny Junor said, "If there is a coming together at the funeral, and the boys, the brothers, can speak to one another and forgive and forget, then I think there’s some hope that Philip’s death may bring about an end to something that might otherwise have gone on for decades."
