Prince Harry has reportedly not been invited to his cousin Peter Phillips' wedding, which is set to take place in two weeks. The ceremony, at which Princess Anne's son will marry NHS nurse Harriet Sperling, is expected to be attended by senior royals including King Charles, Queen Camilla, and the Prince and Princess of Wales.
According to former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond, the decision to exclude the Duke and Duchess of Sussex was made to avoid drawing attention away from the happy couple. She told the Mirror: 'Wedding guest lists are so often a nightmare! ... The biggest no-no is to take attention away from the bride on her big day. That's undoubtedly what would happen if Harry, with or without Meghan, came to Peter and Harriet's wedding.'
Bond suggested that the ongoing rift between Harry and his father and brother has had repercussions throughout the family. 'It's clear that the rift between Harry and his father and brother has had repercussions throughout the whole family,' she explained. 'I think Harry will understand, but he used to be close to his cousin, Peter, and it's only natural that he will feel rather excluded on such a big occasion.'
With Harry and Prince William still not on speaking terms, Bond believes Peter's loyalty now lies with William. 'Peter is a very dependable, jovial guy and he has shown in the past that he can be a buffer between the warring brothers. But I think his loyalty now lies with William,' she said. 'Until or unless the rift is mended, Harry is likely to find himself left out of any big family gathering.'
