A former royal employee has spoken about how Prince William and Prince Harry can learn, and heed the warnings from Princess Diana nearly 28 years after her death
The former private secretary for Princess Diana has claimed that her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, were left warnings to be wary of following her death.
Patrick Jephson said that if Harry, 40, William, 43, and their advisors studied Diana’s life, they would find plenty of lessons and “good examples” to learn from.
Speaking to PEOPLE, he suggested that they should not take the fact they were born into the Royal Family for granted, and learn to sacrifice and earn their privilege.
He explained: “If they study Princess Diana’s life carefully—and I hope they often do—William, Harry, and their advisors will know that she left them many good examples to follow and also a few important warnings to heed. Public affection and the rich rewards of royalty must be earned with self-sacrifice and service.
“I’m sure they are grateful that every day she can still guide, comfort, and inspire them along the difficult path they were born to follow.”
This isn’t the first time a royal expert has commented on the dynamic between Harry, William, and their mother, who tragically died at the age of 36 in a car crash in Paris, with one royal author contemplating what she would think of their current rift.
Also speaking to PEOPLE, Andrew Morton was saddened at the current state of affairs between the two brothers and said he believed that Diana would have been able to act as a peacemaker between the two.
He said: “Diana always used to say she had two boys for a reason — the younger would be there to support the older in the lonely task as future King.
“There is no doubt Diana would have tried to act as a peacemaker between them. If she had been around, they would have worked things out in a different way.”
The royal author also remembered the days of Harry and William being friendly with each other fondly, branding it a “great loss for the monarchy”.
He said: “We all remember the days when Harry and William were joshing with one another, and it all seemed set for their relationship and the future — that Harry, as Diana always used to say, would be William’s wingman. It’s a great loss for the monarchy.”
Comments about Diana, William and Harry follow reports that neither of her sons will be able to inherit Althorp Estate in Northamptonshire, the place were Diana grew up and is buried, due to an ancient tradition.
Instead, it will go to Louis Spencer, Viscount Althorp, who will inherit it due to the Spencers following the practice of male primogeniture, whereby an aristocrat’s title and estate passes to the eldest son, rather than the eldest child.
As Louis does not have any elder brothers, he has three older sisters, Lady Kitty, Lady Amerilai, and Lady Eliza Spencer, he inherits the estate.
