Princes William and Harry made separate public appearances in the United Kingdom on Wednesday, marking the Sussexes’ first engagements since their recent return amid ongoing family tensions. Each carried out official duties in different locations on a day overshadowed by the release of excerpts from Earl Spencer’s forthcoming memoir, which has sparked a renewed dispute within the royal family.
Prince William and Catherine, the Prince and Princess of Wales, undertook community activities on the Isle of Bute, Scotland. Known in Scotland as the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay, the couple visited Rothesay's local shinty club, participating in the traditional Gaelic sport despite heavy rain. Shinty involves players using a curved wooden stick to strike a small leather ball. Both William and Catherine missed their initial penalty shots but succeeded on subsequent attempts, with Catherine notably nearly hitting a nearby spectator on her third try. The couple also engaged in a beach clean-up at Ettrick Bay, emphasizing their environmental commitment.
Meanwhile, Prince Harry attended the inaugural Spirit of Invictus Awards in London, an event recognizing wounded veterans affiliated with his Invictus Games initiative. Wearing military and jubilee medals awarded by his late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, along with his insignia as a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order, Harry arrived at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich in high spirits. He interacted warmly with attendees, posed for selfies, and delivered a speech expressing deep respect for the service and resilience of veterans worldwide. Harry acknowledged the significance of their sacrifices and the leadership they continue to demonstrate beyond military life. The Duchess of Sussex did not attend the ceremony.
Harry declined to comment on the controversy surrounding Earl Spencer’s memoir, "Swan Song: Diana, My Sister," which was published in excerpts ahead of its scheduled release on September 22. The book includes allegations that King Charles III, then Prince of Wales, reacted with anger and contempt during the period following Princess Diana’s death in 1997, particularly in relation to funeral arrangements involving his sons. Spencer portrays the King as having said hurtful things about Diana, claims that supporters of the monarch have strongly disputed.
Buckingham Palace issued an uncharacteristic statement cautioning that grief can affect memory and judgment. Close associates of King Charles have rejected the accounts presented in Spencer’s book, emphasizing the King’s consistent respect for Diana’s memory, even amid intense media scrutiny over the years. A former communications secretary to Charles expressed skepticism about Spencer’s depiction, pointing to the King’s known efforts to uphold Diana’s legacy and questioning the accuracy of the claims regarding the funeral procession.
On the same day, King Charles hosted a conference for leaders in artificial intelligence at Dumfries House in Ayrshire, Scotland, meeting representatives from major tech companies including Anthropic, Nvidia, Google DeepMind, and OpenAI. The event, which also included guests from China, aimed to explore the future of AI development and the implications for humanity.
The publication of Spencer’s memoir has attracted considerable public interest, with preorders rising significantly since excerpts were released. Spencer stated that his intention was to set the record straight and address what he views as misconceptions following his sister’s death.
While both princes resumed their public roles, the shadow cast by the family dispute and the memoir’s allegations dominated public and media attention throughout the day.