It appears the royal family has given Prince Harry the cold shoulder since he stepped down from his senior royal role alongside his wife, Meghan Markle, in 2020. However, someone else is stepping up to support him : his second father. On May 8, 2024, Prince Harry returned to the United Kingdom to attend a Thanksgiving Mass celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games, held at St. Paul’s Cathedral. Surprisingly, no members of the royal family from the House of Windsor showed up. Instead, members of Princess Diana’s family, including her brother Charles Spencer and sister Lady Jane Fellowes, were in attendance, as well as Harry’s cousins Lara Spencer, Lou Spencer and George McCorkadale. But the most important participant was Prince Harry’s second father, Mark Dyer.
Mark Dyer, a former Welsh Guards officer who looked after Harry and Prince William after Princess Diana’s sudden death, was an important figure in Harry’s life. He provided support and guidance during Harry’s adolescence, mirroring the role Lord Mountbatten played for King Charles.
According to royal expert Tom Quinn, Diana’s decision to attend the service showed her support for Harry when the royal family did not. Knowing that his brother and father would be away, Harry made sure in advance that he wouldn’t be completely alone. Quinn explained that Diana has a soft spot for Harry, who feels misunderstood by his family and needs more support than they were willing to provide.
Although Mark Dyer’s support for Harry continues a legacy of respect and care, it raises questions about his relationships with other members of the royal family. Quinn suggests that William and King Charles might view Dyer’s presence as bias, but Dyer himself is nonjudgmental and offers the support and advice Harry needs.
So will Dyer’s support jeopardize her relationships with other royals? Quinn thinks it’s possible, but Dyer sees a young man who has lost a lot and needs the support of someone who can offer him the kind of advice he might expect from his father.
