In a surprising development, a portrait featuring Princes Harry and William has been suddenly removed from the esteemed National Portrait Gallery in London.
The gallery hasn't disclosed the reasons behind the sudden removal of the artwork by Nicky Philipps, however, it's hard to overlook the timing coinciding with the ongoing clash between the two brothers.
According to a report from a UK news agency, the palace has no influence over the gallery's decisions.
A spokesperson from the gallery stated, "The National Portrait Gallery's curatorial team is solely responsible for the decisions regarding the portraits on display. Given the vast collection of over 250,000 portraits, we can only exhibit a small fraction within our premises. Nonetheless, as we are home to one of the world's largest and most significant portrait collections, we routinely lend and circulate our works nationally and internationally."
The oil on canvas portrait, commissioned in 2009 and unveiled in 2010, presents the two princes in royal attire engaged in an informal conversation.
The National Portrait Gallery's official website declares it as "the first official oil portrait of Prince William and Prince Harry." The detailed description continues, stating, "The painting captures a unique period in the brothers' lives when both were serving officers in the Household Cavalry (the 'Blues and Royals'). Dressed in their regimental uniform, William can be seen sporting the star and sash of the Order of the Garter, Britain's highest chivalric order, to which he was appointed by Queen Elizabeth II in 2008. The artist encapsulates what she termed 'an informal moment within a formal context.'"
The princes' bond began to unravel following Harry's relationship with Meghan Markle, as William expressed concern about the swift pace of their romance. Their relationship further deteriorated after the Sussexes' royal exit in 2020. Since then, Harry has openly voiced numerous criticisms against his elder brother, even alleging that William once shoved him during a dispute over Meghan.
Despite returning to the UK for their father King Charles' coronation, Harry and William hardly interacted.
Royal biographer Tina Brown offered a bleak outlook on the princes' relationship in a recent interview, saying, "They are completely estranged. At present, their relationship is undeniably frosty... As Harry continues to reflect on his past, his resentment towards William seems to grow, largely because he feels William deliberately relegated him to a secondary role, making him feel perpetually like 'the spare.'"
