Prince George's godmother has appeared to send a subtle message to King Charles about his warring sons, Prince William and Prince Harry.
Julia Samuel, who remains close to the Princes and was friends with their mother, has written an online essay titled: "What happens to you as a parent when your adult children no longer speak to each other?"
Her words may be particularly profound for King Charles, who began a nine-day tour of the Caribbean on Tuesday, as his sons have not been in contact for around four years.
Julia, a psychotherapist, wrote in an essay on her Therapy Works Substack: "The pain of sibling estrangement can be profound. You may feel caught between your children, helpless to repair the divide, and question what you could have done differently.
© Getty"Our instinct is to bring them back together. 'People often say 'bang their heads together', yet our attempts to help can sometimes deepen the hurt."
Julia also offered some meaningful advice, saying "forced reconciliation" between the siblings can "worsen" the conflict.
"Sometimes, love requires us to stand back, give them space to resolve issues in their own time," she said.
The counsellor also offered five tips to "spark genuine repair": resist the mediator role, listen without taking sides, recognise the power of time, acknowledge your grief, and accept limits to your control.
Who is Prince George's godmother Julia Samuel?
Julia, 67, is one of seven godparents to Prince George.
Having been born into the Guinness family, she came across royalty as her sister, Sabrina, a television producer, once dated Prince Charles.
Julia became close friends with Princess Diana after meeting at a dinner in 1987. They spent much time together as she lived close to Kensington Palace, remaining close until the late royal died in 1997.
Diana would help pick Julia's children up from school and was godmother to her son, Benjamin.
© Photo: RexJulia is the founder of Child Bereavement UK, which supports bereaved children, as well as parents who lost a child, and the author of "Grief Works" and "This Too Shall Pass".
She generally keeps a low profile but remains close to Diana's sons, joining them for the unveiling of a Diana statue in 2021, and is godmother to her grandson George, now 13.
"He is amazing. He's funny and feisty and cheeky and God she (Diana) would have loved him so much. That is heartbreaking for all of them," she said on the How to Fail with Elizabeth Day podcast back in 2020.
Prince William and Prince Harry latest
The Duke of Sussex appeared to reference his fallout with his brother in an interview with GQ Magazine last week.
Harry told the magazine's weekly interview series One More Question that "some people don't want it to work out", appearing to refer to his estranged sibling.
© WireImageHowever, a spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex said: "It was absolutely not intended as a swipe at his brother or any other member of his family. The comment was made in a general context and was not directed at his family in any way."
Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, who returned to the UK in August, have taken their children abroad this week in the wake of the allegations against Thomas Markle, HELLO! exclusively revealed.
