The highly anticipated unveiling of a statue in honor of Princess Diana will take place this week, but the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, will unfortunately not be in attendance.
Covid-19 protocols have forced her to miss the event, which was originally planned for Thursday.
Prince William and Prince Harry will still be present, accompanied by Diana’s close family members.
Earlier in the week, Kate was confirmed as a guest for the ceremony.
However, new arrangements were made following Prince Harry’s return to the UK, resulting in a scaled-back guest list and the exclusion of media coverage.
A royal source explained that the changes were necessary to align with the current Covid-19 restrictions and to maintain the intimate nature of the occasion.
A spokesperson from Kensington Palace stated that the unveiling ceremony will be a small event held at the Sunken Garden in Kensington Palace on July 1st.
Alongside the princes, members of Diana’s immediate family, the Statue Committee, sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley, and garden designer Pip Morrison will also be in attendance.
The event holds particular significance as it falls on what would have been Princess Diana’s 60th birthday.
The absence of the Duchess of Cambridge may disappoint many of Diana’s friends who had hoped to witness a reconciliation between the feuding brothers.
Earlier reports suggested that Kate would play a role in bringing the siblings together at the ceremony.
Although the trio was expected to walk in together, William and Harry had planned to deliver separate speeches while jointly honoring Diana’s legacy and expressing gratitude to sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley for his dedication to the project.
The rift between Prince William and Prince Harry has grown since the latter’s relocation to the United States after stepping back from his royal duties.
Currently residing in California with his wife Meghan Markle and their two children, Harry’s attendance at the statue unveiling had been uncertain, given the strained relationship between the brothers.
In April, Harry returned to Britain for Prince Philip’s funeral at Windsor Castle.
Contrary to earlier reports, it has been revealed that William, Harry, and their father Prince Charles did not have a discussion during that time.
Speculation had arisen that the trio had used the opportunity to address their differences following Harry and Meghan’s interview with Oprah Winfrey.
However, royal historian Robert Lacey, in an updated version of his book “Battle of Brothers,” dismissed these claims of a truce.
Previous reports also indicated that Charles was eager to meet with Harry after the funeral, but Harry made it clear that he would not be staying.
Lacey further highlighted that William and Kate saw no value in engaging in a conversation with Harry, as any substantive discussions would likely be leaked to the media through Meghan’s connections, such as Oprah Winfrey.
The Mirror has reached out to Kensington Palace for comment on the matter.