BBC hit with more complaints over Prince Philip’s funeral – this time for William and Harry analysis

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The BBC has been hit by further complaints over their coverage of Prince Philip's funeral, this time for scrutiny of William and Harry's relationship.

Royal reporter Nicholas Witchell's commentary about the princes, who were shown walking away from the funeral service together and talking with Kate Middleton, sparked complaints from viewers.

The brothers, who had previously been close, had hit a rocky period in the run up to their grandfather's death after Harry and his wife Meghan Markle's tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey.

During the interview, the couple made an allegation of racism against the royal family and a lack of support over Meghan's mental health, with Harry describing his relationship with William as "one of space" which he hoped time would heal.

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A statement on the BBC website read: "We received complaints from people unhappy that Nicholas Witchell offered analysis about the relationship between the Duke of Sussex and the Duke of Cambridge, when reporting on the funeral of HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh."

The BBC defended the commentary and called the coverage "legitimate" in their statement, which read: "Our Royal Correspondent, Nicholas Witchell, reported in detail on the funeral of HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, reflecting its historic and national significance, remembering the life and achievements of the Duke, while also examining what this moment meant for The Royal Family.

"The relationship between Prince Harry and Prince William has been a focus of interest in recent weeks. In this context, Nicholas offered analysis of the implications of this solemn event on The Royal Family, and what could be construed about current family relations from what was seen at the funeral.

"This was a legitimate, impartial and proportionate part of the coverage of this story."

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The funeral at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle on April 17 was Harry's first visit back to the UK since his Oprah interview.

After the Duke of Edinburgh's death on April 9, the BBC's coverage also sparked complaints with viewers saying there had been too much coverage of both the death and the funeral, cancelling other scheduled programmes.

A BBC statement at the time read: "We do not make such changes without careful consideration and the decisions made reflect the role the BBC plays as the national broadcaster, during moments of national significance."

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