The continuing estrangement between Prince William and Prince Harry would have devastated their late mother, Princess Diana, according to her longtime personal trainer, Jenni Rivett.
Rivett, who worked closely with Diana for six years during the 1990s, shared her reflections in a recent interview with the Daily Mail, offering a personal perspective on how the Princess of Wales might have felt about the deepening divide between her sons.
“Diana loved her boys; they were everything to her,” Rivett said. “She would have been devastated at what is going on between them today.”
The royal feud, which has escalated in the years since Harry and Meghan Markle stepped back from royal duties, has played out in interviews, books, and media headlines around the world. Rivett believes Diana, known for her dedication to her children, would have found the conflict heartbreaking.
“She didn’t want this life,” Rivett continued. “She didn’t want any of it. All she ever wanted was to be a good wife and mother.”
Rivett, who often served as a confidante during their training sessions, recalled that Diana would sometimes share deeply personal thoughts and emotions. “Sometimes Diana would tell me things so personal,” Rivett said. “I always tried to give her the best advice I could.”
The rift between William and Harry became public in recent years, most notably during Prince Harry’s 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey. During that high-profile conversation, the Duke of Sussex offered a rare, candid glimpse into his strained relationship with his older brother.
“You know, I love William to bits. He’s my brother. We’ve been through h— together,” Harry told Winfrey. “But we’re on different paths,” he added. “The relationship is space, at the moment. And, you know, time heals all things, hopefully.”
Since that interview, the brothers have maintained a public distance, with limited joint appearances and little visible reconciliation. Their father’s coronation, royal ceremonies, and family events have all highlighted the growing emotional and physical gap between them.
For many royal observers, Diana’s absence is felt most deeply in moments like these, when the unity she valued seems so far out of reach. Though Rivett no longer works with the royal family, her memories of Diana paint a picture of a mother who dreamed of raising close, supportive sons far removed from the public and media pressures that now surround their lives.