Prince William and Diana’s 30th Anniversary: Why He Is Staying Away

The Prince of Wales is said to have turned down several documentary offers, while Prince Harry considers a project to mark their mother’s death

Prince William appears determined to keep his distance from the growing number of projects planned around the 30th anniversary of Princess Diana’s death, resisting opportunities that could reopen tensions within the royal family or place him alongside relatives who continue to speak publicly about his mother.

The anniversary will fall on Aug. 31, 2027, and the royal family is expected to make decisions about how Diana’s death will be commemorated. William, however, is understood to have rejected several offers to take part in documentaries about her life and legacy.

That approach stands in contrast to his brother, Prince Harry, who is reportedly discussing the possibility of producing a documentary for the anniversary and has already approached some of Diana’s friends and relatives about taking part.

Earl Spencer, Diana’s brother, has also remained in the public spotlight. Last week he published his memoir, Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, and is continuing a promotional tour in the United States, describing the book as a “moving tribute from a brother to his sister.”

The contrasting approaches have drawn attention from royal commentators. Russell Myers, royal editor of the Mirror, said William may be increasingly uncomfortable with the way members of his family and others continue to build projects around Diana’s memory.

On this week’s episode of the Mirror podcast Save the King on YouTube, Myers questioned whether the public discussion surrounding Diana had gone too far.

“He finds himself in a situation where lots of people are talking about Diana and making money from her legacy, and I wonder whether we have now crossed the boundaries of good taste and decency,” Myers said.

Jennifer Newton, deputy royal editor at the Mirror, pointed to the personal dimension for William.

“While there are people making money from Diana, the one person who isn’t is her son William, and I think a lot of people have sympathy for him in this situation because Diana was also his mother,” she said.

Myers agreed, describing a lingering sense of sadness behind William’s position.

“There’s a lot of sadness in William’s mind,” he said. “Think of all the people who have let him down. His brother, his sister-in-law and now his uncle. He’s angry because he’s had another disappointment, but there’s a deep sadness in him.”

William was 15 when Diana died in 1997. Twenty years later, he appeared alongside Harry in a 2017 documentary marking the anniversary of her death. The brothers shared affectionate memories of their mother and spoke proudly of the legacy they both wanted to preserve.

At the time, William indicated that the documentary might be the only occasion on which he would speak so openly about Diana.

The prospect of another joint project with Harry is now particularly complicated by the strained relationship between the brothers. According to the Sunday Times, William is understood to have declined documentary proposals partly to avoid a situation in which he and Harry could be “pitted against each other.”

Harry’s plans have moved in the opposite direction. Sources close to the Duke of Sussex confirmed last week that he is in talks to produce a documentary for the 30th anniversary and has already approached friends and relatives of Diana about participating in a potential program.

“The Duke has discussed several possible projects to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the death of his mother Diana, Princess of Wales, and is still considering the most meaningful way to honor her memory,” a source close to Harry told the Mirror.

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