Prince Harry and William Left Out of Uncle’s £1.5M Will — Here’s What It Really Means

In July 2024, Lord Robert Fellowes — a man once at the heart of Buckingham Palace and a quiet pillar of the royal inner circle — passed away at the age of 82. But even in death, his choices whispered volumes about the enduring divides within the royal family.

Lord Fellowes was more than just Queen Elizabeth II’s former Private Secretary. He was also the brother-in-law of Princess Diana and the maternal uncle of Princes William and Harry. As such, his life and legacy were intricately tied to the House of Windsor.

When the details of his will were made public in May 2025, many took note not just of what was included — but who was left out.

His estate, valued at approximately £1.5 million, was primarily left to his wife, Lady Jane Fellowes (Princess Diana’s older sister), and their three children: Alexander, Laura, and Eleanor. The will, which had been quietly prepared in 2012, also made modest provisions for those who had been part of his everyday life: £1,000 to his longtime handyman Andrew Grange, and charitable donations to Eton College, the Rhodes Trust, a Norfolk hospice, and the local St. Mary’s Church.

Conspicuously absent from the will were Princes William and Harry — his only nephews by marriage.

This omission isn’t scandalous in legal terms — it’s not unusual for a will to focus on the immediate family — but in the emotionally charged world of royal family dynamics, every silence is scrutinized. Some saw it as a practical decision. Others read between the lines, wondering whether it reflected the growing emotional distance not only between the two brothers, but also between Harry and his extended family.

That divide was on subtle display when William and Harry attended Lord Fellowes’ funeral in August 2024 at the quaint village church of St. Mary’s in Snettisham, Norfolk. It marked their first public appearance together since the coronation of King Charles III in May 2023. And yet, despite standing just feet apart, the brothers reportedly didn’t exchange a word.

The moment spoke louder than any inheritance ever could.

Lord Fellowes himself had once been a man of discretion and loyalty — serving the Queen through the tumultuous ’90s, including the tragic death of Diana in 1997. In 1999, he was elevated to the peerage as Baron Fellowes of Shotesham, a title he carried with quiet dignity.

His will, simple and traditional, didn’t shake the foundations of the monarchy. But it did reflect a world where old loyalties, unspoken tensions, and royal protocols coexist — often uneasily. In the end, Lord Fellowes left behind more than an estate. He left a legacy marked by service, family, and a final act of discretion that, perhaps unintentionally, held up a mirror to the fractured bonds of Britain’s most scrutinized family.