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Princess Diana’s voice coach believes her sons are on a path to reconciliation.
On Thursday, Prince William and Prince Harry put aside their differences in Kensington Palace to unveil a statue honoring their late mother on what would have been her 60th birthday. The event marked their second public meeting since Harry, 36, and his wife Meghan Markle stepped away from royal duties over a year ago.
"They’re both repositories of her extraordinary love, kindness and compassion," Stewart Pearce told Fox News. "William is obviously living a very different role. And the fact that Harry can step forward and speak out in the ways he has done is remarkable. It’s exactly what Diana would be doing right now."
"One of the plans that she had was to take all of her charitable endeavors she was involved in and present it on a more mainstream platform," he explained. "For example, one of the things she was talking about was actually creating documentaries about some of the charitable endeavors she was involved with. She felt films could be made about some of the extraordinary causes that she was either championing or pioneering. I feel that’s exactly what Harry is doing."
Prince William and Prince Harry at Princess Diana's statue unveiling. (Getty Images)
Pearce, who worked with Margaret Thatcher and the Royal Shakespeare Company before he befriended the Princess of Wales, has recently written a book about their work together titled "Diana The Voice of Change." It explores her life principles and how she became "a force of liberation" as a member of the British royal family.
Pearce described how Diana has a great love for her sons before her untimely death in 1997 at age 36.
"It was adorable to watch them," Pearce recalled. "She was an extraordinary mother. Her tenderness, her care, her transparency – I believe her sons have these qualities. Obviously, they’re very different people and William is a king in training. Harry is moving in a completely different direction, which I’m personally in complete celebration of. I feel it’s most unfortunate that the British press has been so offensive about it."
Harry, 36, stepped back from royal duties last year and moved his family to the U.S. in search of a more peaceful existence that he could better control. William, 39, has pressed on with royal life and the demands that come with being second in line to the throne.
Prince Harry resides in California with his wife Meghan Markle and their two children. (AP, File)
However, the relationship became strained in March when Harry and Markle, 39, gave an interview to Oprah Winfrey, which was watched by nearly 50 million people globally.
Harry confirmed rumors that he and his brother had been growing apart, saying "the relationship is ‘space’ at the moment" — though he added that "time heals all things, hopefully." Harry also told Winfrey, 67, that his father, Prince Charles, didn’t accept his calls for a time.
The couple revealed that before the birth of their first child, an unidentified member of the royal family had expressed concern about how dark his skin might be. Harry revealed that the person in question wasn't his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, or his late grandfather Prince Philip.
Days after the broadcast, William responded to questions called out by reporters, stating that "we are very much not a racist family."
PRINCE HARRY, PRINCE WILLIAM REUNITE FOR PRINCESS DIANA STATUE UNVEILING IN KENSINGTON PALACE
This image provided by Harpo Productions shows Prince Harry, from left, and Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex, in conversation with Oprah Winfrey. (AP, File)
Pearce said Harry should be celebrated for speaking his truth so openly and sparking hope for positive change, not shunned for unveiling his struggles.
"I completely celebrate him and totally support what’s taken place," said Pearce. "Harry is an agent of change. He’s a voice of liberation. He speaks with passion and clarity. I feel there’s a tremendous emotional intelligence there. This is a young man who expressed himself after many years of silence, after many years of pushing the anger of his mother’s death down inside. The very fact that he’s become so open about the challenges he’s experienced regarding his mental health is extraordinary. It will encourage other people to speak out about their own challenges."
Pearce said he isn’t surprised Harry and his family moved to California. It’s a destination Diana had also considered shortly before her death.
"She talked to me about buying a house in Malibu when her divorce settlement came through at the beginning of ’96," he recalled. "She said, ‘I love the United States. And the American people have always given me such a warm welcome. My heart is nurtured by their welcoming and I love Los Angeles. I want to buy a house in Malibu. I think it would be wonderful for the boys.’"
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Stewart Pearce said Princess Diana considered buying a house in Malibu shortly before her death. (Jayne Fincher/Princess Diana Archive/Getty Image)
"They loved swimming," Pearce continued. "They loved all kinds of sports. And Diana thought they would have such a wonderful time there when they were with her. I think Diana would have loved the fact that Harry is now living in Montecito because she loved that Mediterranean climate that is offered on the western seaboard. She would have spent a lot of time in the United States. She loved New York and Chicago. But she certainly discussed Malibu."
Despite rumors of an alleged feud between the brothers since Harry stepped back, Pearce insisted that "there is no rift."
"Two brothers have had a disagreement – this is not a rift, a feud or a battle," said Pearce. "Brothers disagree… They’re muscling up to their own power. And people are outrage that the British heritage is changing. Well, of course, it needs to change. They’re removing themselves from the private mystique that the royal family has always upheld… It’s unfortunate that it’s being projected in a certain way, that we’re hearing more from distant royal observers. But I believe there’s something that needs to be healed and they’re moving into that territory."
Pearce said that after the painful loss of their mother, the brothers should be encouraged "to speak their hearts and reveal their souls."
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Britain's Prince William, Duke of Cambridge (L) and Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex unveil a statue of their mother, Princess Diana at The Sunken Garden in Kensington Palace, London on July 1, 2021, which would have been her 60th birthday. (Photo by Dominic Lipinski / POOL / AFP/Getty Images)
"Harry is being completely honest," said Pearce. "He’s being honest in a way that we don’t often see because honesty in the royal family is expressed privately. This is what I mean when I say they are the voice of change. What is the voice of change? It’s love. It’s the voice of compassion. It’s the voice of care. And that is what I am hearing from Harry."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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