Prince William will not appear on screen in a television documentary marking the 30th anniversary of the death of his mother, Princess Diana, according to royal sources.
The Prince of Wales has reportedly considered several proposals to participate in programmes commemorating Diana, who died in a car crash in Paris in August 1997 when William was 15.
Despite receiving a number of approaches, he has now decided not to take part in a documentary or similar televised production.
William reportedly wants to avoid further tension with Harry
William’s decision is understood to be linked in part to his strained relationship with his younger brother, Prince Harry.
According to reports, the future king does not want a programme about their mother to place the two brothers in direct comparison or create another situation in which they could be portrayed as being “pitted against each other”.
The anniversary is also expected to be personally difficult for William, who remains deeply affected by Diana’s death.
BBC chief held private talks with the Prince
William’s decision follows private discussions at Kensington Palace last week with BBC director-general Matt Brittin.
The meeting came as the prince was considering whether to participate in one of the programmes being developed around the 30th anniversary.
Royal sources have since confirmed that he will not appear in a televised documentary marking the occasion.
William and Harry previously spoke publicly about Diana
The brothers last appeared together in a documentary about their mother in 2017, when they featured in ITV’s Diana, Our Mother: Her Life And Legacy.
The programme was released to mark the 20th anniversary of Diana’s death and included personal reflections from both princes.
At the time, William indicated that the brothers did not expect to discuss their mother so openly in public again, describing their participation as a deeply personal experience.
William is now understood to regard those public reflections as an important form of personal release and does not intend to repeat the experience for the upcoming anniversary.
Brothers have remained estranged since 2022
The decision comes against the backdrop of the continuing breakdown in relations between William and Harry.
The brothers are understood not to have spoken since the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022.
Harry returned to Britain in August with his family, but his visit did not lead to a reconciliation between the brothers.
Harry considers his own way of honouring Diana
While William has ruled out a documentary appearance, Harry is understood to be exploring several possible projects to commemorate his mother’s life and legacy.
The Duke of Sussex has reportedly approached some of Diana’s friends and relatives about potentially participating in a commemorative film.
One of those considered is Diana’s brother, Earl Spencer, who has previously explained that he wrote his memoir about his sister partly to avoid becoming a regular interviewee in productions about her life.
Harry’s proposed project has not been formally confirmed, and discussions are reportedly still at an early stage.
Archewell could potentially be involved
One possibility is for any project involving Harry to be produced through Archewell Productions, the production company he runs with Meghan.
Archewell has a first-look arrangement with Netflix covering its film and television projects, potentially providing a route for a documentary or other production if Harry ultimately decides to proceed.
A source close to Harry said that several ideas had been discussed but stressed that no project had been finalised or confirmed.
Palace declines to discuss William’s plans
Kensington Palace has not disclosed how William intends to mark the 30th anniversary of Diana’s death.
A spokesman previously declined to comment on the prince’s plans for the anniversary.
The decision not to participate in a documentary means William’s eventual tribute is likely to take a different form, while Harry continues to consider how he might publicly commemorate their mother three decades after her death.
