Just for a moment it was like turning back the clock. William and Harry, side by side with their wives, radiating the kind of goodwill that we all once took for granted.
It was almost as if that brotherly bond of affection that has been so catastrophically absent for the past two years had, somehow, magically returned.
Of course it was awkward and at times both of them looked strained, with Harry especially hesitant as they honoured their grandmother’s memory by greeting well-wishers and viewing the flowers outside the gates of Windsor Castle on Saturday afternoon.
For so many years their mutual reliance had been an enduring and endearing part of the royal story, but that trust and common dependency, forged from the tragic loss of their mother in their early teens, had vanished in the aftermath of Harry and Meghan’s bitter break from the Royal Family.
RICHARD KAY: Just for a moment it was like turning back the clock. William and Harry, side by side with their wives, radiating the kind of goodwill that we all once took for granted
In place of that once familiar bonhomie was silence, resentment and anger. Nothing it seemed could heal the rift; not the entreaties of family and friends and not even fatherhood, a shared passion for them both – until that unexpected public reunion at the weekend.
For 45 minutes, the two couples moved among the crowds, shaking hands, accepting condolences and flowers which they placed on the growing pile of tributes while thanking the public in turn for their kindnesses.
It was, of course, a powerful echo of similar images from a quarter of a century ago when, after the death of Princess Diana, the brothers greeted mourners outside Kensington Palace.
Even at the end of their walkabout, the sense of togetherness persisted. All four climbed into the same car and, with William very much in charge at the wheel, headed up the Long Walk in the direction of Frogmore Cottage, his brother and sister-in-law’s home in the UK.
The Duke of Sussex joined other members of the Royal Family in mourning the Queen’s death
Prince Harry is swept out of Balmoral by security in the back seat of this Range Rover this morning following the death of the Queen
The question last night was whether this rare moment of unity promises anything more than mere symbolism. Is it indeed a reconciliation or the beginnings of one – or was it simply a truce?
Certainly its importance to the long-term vitality of the monarchy cannot be underestimated. The pictures of the new Prince and Princess of Wales and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex succeeded in upstaging the proclamation of King Charles as the new monarch, a reminder, should he need it, of the star quality of his sons and their wives.
The initiative was Prince William’s but it required Harry to agree. And that in itself is certainly something of a breakthrough. Both are stubborn and both have blamed the other for the estrangement.
That it happened at all is even more remarkable considering Harry’s apparent sidelining as events which unfolded in the hours immediately before and after the death of the Queen on Thursday.
The ‘fab four’ reunited at Windsor to mourn the death of The Queen; it was the first time the couples have been together in public since March 2020
When William flew up to Scotland he was accompanied by his uncles Andrew and Edward. Harry’s absence remains unexplained but rumours abound.
Some reports have suggested he had insisted Meghan accompany him until it was pointed out to him that Kate would not be there supporting her husband.
The upshot was that instead Harry travelled alone on his own privately chartered plane and did not arrive at Balmoral until several hours after his grandmother’s death. But then instead of joining his father and brother who were ensconced at Charles’s home Birkhall, he remained at Balmoral Castle where the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex had joined their sister Princess Anne.
‘Two dinners were being hosted on the royal estate that night and there was a clear divide: One was for the new king and his heir, the other was for the rest of the family,’ said an insider.
By Saturday events had moved fast: King Charles III had been sworn in as monarch and in Scotland Anne, Andrew, Edward and their children were thanking mourners who had gathered to pay their respects at Balmoral.
Meanwhile, there was anticipation that William and Kate would perform a similar function in Windsor. It is understood that at some stage that day William, who had already raised the idea with his brother that they might view the flowers together, texted Harry with a proposed time – a text which Harry acknowledged.
The US-based Duke and Duchess of Sussex (pictured in Windsor on Saturday) have reportedly confirmed they will be staying in Britain until the end of the royal mourning period, which finishes seven days after the service on September 19
The Prince and Princess of Wales and the Sussexes waves to members of the public at Windsor Castle
King Charles III waving at well-wishers as he arrives at Buckingham Palace this afternoon
According to a source: ‘It happened very quickly – remarkable really considering they didn’t see each other in Scotland.’
The gesture was certainly decisive. One thing we have learned is that it was not done on the direction of their father as was being widely reported over the weekend. A royal source said such suggestions were ‘absolutely not the case’. Nor is it true that William acted only after learning Harry was set on his own walkabout among the crowds complete with an attendant TV crew. ‘Complete b******s,’ said a source.
However, the walkabout had originally been planned for 4.30pm but was pushed back by 45 minutes as the brothers communicated with one another, reinforcing the last minute nature of the olive branch.
But it surely can be no coincidence that in his first television address as Sovereign on Friday, Charles made a point of expressing his love for Harry and Meghan. This must have emboldened William in his course of action.
Camilla, the Queen Consort, waving to people gathered outside Buckingham Palace from her car today
William, it is understood, took the view that at this time of national mourning a show of unity was needed out of respect to the Queen. As an insider put it: ‘These coming days are going to be extremely intense and getting through them without distraction can only be a good thing.’
But was it anything more that pragmatism? At the time of Prince Philip’s funeral in April last year, the brothers were urged to try and settle their differences. And there was hope when, immediately after the service, they were pictured leaving St George’s chapel side by side to return to the castle.
But the optimism was misplaced and the rift remained. In the intervening months things have not improved and looming over the relationship and whether it can be salvaged is Harry’s forthcoming memoir. ‘William loves his brother but there is this matter of trust,’ says one figure.
It is this issue that will ultimately decide if Saturday’s walkabout heralds a sea change in the brothers’ relationship or is merely a temporary respite.
For many, seeing the pair working together once again as they inspected the floral tributes and talked to the crowds will be all the proof needed that they are indeed reconciled. That, of course, is the miracle of monarchy.
For years, William and Harry’s parents put on a convincing show of togetherness at national events long after their separation, such as those marking the 50th anniversary of the ending of the Second World War in 1995. They even allowed themselves to be photographed travelling together to watch their sons at school events.
The reality often was that no sooner were they out of view of photographers than they were switching into separate cars. And so cynics could be forgiven for wondering if that is what happened in Windsor Great Park on Saturday once their Range Rover had evaded long lenses.
On arrival at Holyroodhouse she was met by three of her children and other family members. Pictured here from left to right is Prince Andrew, the Countess of Wessex and the Earl of Wessex
What then are the chances of a reconciliation? Slight, but not impossible, according to one informed figure. ‘The problem is,’ says the source, ‘that they have barely spoken for two years and there is both anger and grief about it all on both sides.’
Each expects the other to apologise. If the death of their grandmother is to continue to be a healing balm on these two warring princes then it will take more than texting each other to achieve a proper rapprochement.
And what would a resolution look like? Publication of Harry’s book is crucial. He has promised the ‘definitive account’ of ‘experiences, adventures, losses and life lessons’. At such a late stage, might publication be stopped or is he bound by the terms of a restrictive contract?
For William the issue of trust is truly at the heart of the breakdown in relations with his brother. His fear is that a book which discusses any intimate family secrets will be a deal-breaker in reconciling.
And what about their other deals, so important to fund the Sussexes’ California lifestyle and meet their security bill? If there is no breakthrough between the brothers, then Harry and Meghan will return to the US and continue their lives and all that entails.
Friends of Harry are keen to suggest that the couple can be pragmatic themselves. Meghan, they point out, has cancelled the next episode of her Archetypes podcast and an appearance on a US chat show. The pair have also pulled out of an appearance at this week’s UN General Assembly.
Could those gestures be interpreted as an olive branch, too?
But it surely can be no coincidence that in his first television address as Sovereign on Friday, Charles made a point of expressing his love for Harry and Meghan. Pictured: Meghan comforting Harry by the tributes to the Queen
Some now say it is possible that with the headwind and good will of a new reign and the benevolence of his father, the international roles first mooted for Harry and Meghan could be offered again.
All the same it is hard to see how Meghan, who has voiced so much criticism of royal life, could agree to any kind of arrangement that would diminish her ability to speak as she chooses. And that, ultimately, may make any peace offering worthless.
Much may depend on how the Sussexes conduct themselves in the coming days. Meanwhile, their own plans are unknown. Although Harry is expected to remain in the country until the funeral, will Meghan? She has already been apart from her children for more than a week. There are suggestions that rather than returning to the US and then flying back, her mother Doria may travel to Britain with Archie and Lilibet so they can be reunited with their parents.
Perhaps we should see Saturday’s exercise among the mourners at the gates to Windsor Castle as a first step and that both William and Harry will be able to reflect that they – and the Royal Family – are better and stronger together than they are apart.
At the moment, the closest analogy to the events of the past few days is that of soldiers on the Western Front during the First World War when they held their own ceasefire with the enemy on Christmas Day in order to play football. Those soldiers famously returned to their trenches and carried on hostilities.
For the new King such a prospect is a troubling one. He may not have instructed his sons to get together on Saturday but it was his fervent wish. Indeed, the Daily Mail understands he spoke to both of them during the day following his proclamation.
‘His view, basically, is “sort it out”,’ says an aide. ‘He hates any kind of confrontation but he does see this period [of mourning] as an opportunity for his sons.’
Harry, the ‘gentle’ prince! Fans gush over the royal chatting to children about their favourite football teams and cradling a baby during the walkabout at Windsor
By Chris Matthews for MailOnline
Prince Harry spoke with small children and cradled a newborn as he greeted people mourning the Queen yesterday.
Social media dubbed Harry ‘gentle’ after he met mourners in Windsor alongside the Prince and Princess of Wales and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.
The former working royal chatted about football teams and held possibly the youngest person in the crowd as he cradled a newborn yesterday.
Speaking to a group of children dressed in Manchester United kit, he asked: ‘Are you all Manchester United supporters or is this a team or are you a family?’
The children said they were all in the same family but one of their relatives was a Newcastle fan.
Harry paid special attention to possibly the youngest among the crowd as he greeted well-wishers outside the gates of Windsor Castle yesterday evening
Prince Harry beamed a wide smile as he chatted to a group of children about football
The Prince replied ‘ooh’ before asking one of the kids ‘and how does that make you feel?’
He beamed a wide smile as he chatted to their parents, asking them how long they had been waiting.
When they told him it had been an hour and a half he nodded and told them ‘thank you for coming’.
He and his wife were touring the UK before the Queen passed away on Thursday aged 96 at Balmoral Castle.
The pair were seen holding hands as they met the public in Windsor yesterday.
Meghan cut a stylish figure in a black midi dress, matched with black tights and minimal black pumps.
She chose a cut that fell midway on her calves, while she had short sleeves over her shoulder.
She paired the dress with minimal golden jewellery on her left wrist as well as understated earrings and styled her hair into loose curls.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex made a surprise appearance this afternoon during a Windsor walkabout
Meghan cut a stylish figure in a black midi dress, matched with black tights and minimal black pumps. Harry wore a navy suit with a crisp white shirt and a black tie, which he paired with polished black brogues. He wore a low-key black wristband with lime green trim on his right hand
Meghan is seen gazing at Kate as the four admire the floral tributes left to the Queen. Afterwards, the four met well-wishers
Harry wore a navy suit with a crisp white buttoned shirt and a black tie, which he paired with polished black brogues.
He wore a low-key black wristband with lime green trim on his right hand.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s popularity has plummeted in the last few years after their exit from the royal family in 2020, dubbed ‘Megxit’.
Controversial interviews and wild allegations, some of which have since been disproven, have also stoked a rift between the Sussexes and the rest of the Royal Family.
However, the tide may be turning for the unpopular couple.
In his first address to the nation as King, Charles III said he wanted to ‘express my love for Harry and Meghan as they continue to build their lives overseas’.
Meanwhile, Prince William offered an ’11th hour’ olive branch to his brother as he invited the California-based couple to meet the public alongside himself and Princess Catherine.
Social media users dubbed Prince Harry ‘gentle’ after he spoke to the public and thanked them for their tributes to the late monarch
The public too have warmed once more to Harry and although some blanked Meghan and seemed to refuse to shake her hand, one girl even hugged the American actress.
It could be the first signs the British public is willing to forgive Harry and Meghan for peddling slurs and flinging accusations at the Queen and the Royal Family in the last few years.
However, reconciliation may be difficult if future publications by Harry and Meghan create more difficult conversations at the Palace.
Meghan has just started a podcast series on Spotify, for which she is receiving around $18million, while Harry is poised to release a memoir with Penguin Random House that reportedly granted him a $20million advance payment.
Even so, crowds have cheered and clapped the royals in the days following the death of the Queen as the public has paid tribute to Britain’s longest-reigning monarch.
Royal fans ‘swoon’ over Prince Harry’s sweet gesture after he opens and closes his wife Meghan Markle’s car door during walkabout with Prince William and Kate Middleton in Windsor
By Jessica Green for MailOnline
Royal fans were left ‘swooning’ yesterday after Prince Harry opened and closed Meghan Markle’s car door for her during the walkabout with Prince William and Kate Middleton in Windsor.
The Prince and Princess of Wales and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex made a surprise appearance together at the gates of Windsor castle, spending time talking to well-wishers who had gathered in their thousands to pay their respects to the Queen, who died at Balmoral on Thursday aged 96.
Following the 40-minute walkabout, the reunited ‘Fab Four’, as they were nicknamed before Meghan and Harry stepped back from their royal duties, all got into a vehicle together.
William entered the driver’s side, with Kate on his left, and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex sat in the back – with Harry sweetly rushing to open and close his wife’s car door for her.
A clip of the moment has been shared widely online, with royal enthusiasts calling Harry ‘their kind of gentleman’ for his kind gesture.
Royal fans were left ‘swooning’ yesterday after Prince Harry opened and closed Meghan Markle’s car door for her during the walkabout with Prince William and Kate Middleton in Windsor
Reaction: A clip of the moment has been shared widely online, with royal enthusiasts calling Harry ‘their kind of gentleman’ for his kind gesture
Well-wishers rushed to social media to praise the prince, with one person writing: ‘Say what you will about Harry and Meghan but he puts his arm around her back and opens her car door for her. He loves her. That gets a swoon from me.’
A second tweeted: ‘Harry opened the car door for Meghan and returned back to the other side to enter the car. My kind of gentleman.’
A third wrote: ‘I love how Harry opened the door for his wife and made sure she was inside the car before getting in the car himself. A true gentleman.’
A fourth added: ‘Prince Harry opening and closing the door for his wife, Princess Diana would be proud.’
Prince William and Kate Middleton, and Meghan and Harry appeared in black at Windsor Castle on Saturday evening to inspect the sea of floral tributes laid outside the gates of the Berkshire estate in tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II.
The reunion marks the first time that the two couples have all appeared in public since Commonwealth Day on March 9, 2020, just weeks before the Covid lockdown.
Well-wishers rushed to social media to praise the prince, with one person writing: ‘Say what you will about Harry and Meghan but he puts his arm around her back and opens her car door for her. He loves her. That gets a swoon from me.’
Harry and Meghan, who quit frontline duties two years ago to strike out on their own in California and then levied a series of bombshell allegations against The Firm, held hands as they looked at the tributes, with Harry at one point affectionately putting his hand on Meghan’s back.
They were seen pointing at different tributes and discussing them as members of the crowd waved at them.
One well-wisher who spoke to Harry and Meghan told MailOnline: ‘It’s lovely to see them both together. Maybe they can get back to a proper relationship.
‘Lovely ripple went through the crowd as they approached. Hopefully the healing between Harry and his brother can start now. I’m just so excited to have seen them both together. It’s lovely.’
Another mourner said: ‘We couldn’t believe it when the gates opened, and we saw William and Harry walk down with Meghan and Kate. I’ll be honest there was a little bit of a groan when Harry and Meghan came down our side, but I passed him a bunch of flowers and he was happy to take them.
The Prince and Princess of Wales and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex made a surprise appearance together at the gates of Windsor castle, spending time talking to well-wishers who had gathered in their thousands to pay their respects to the Queen, who died at Balmoral on Thursday aged 96. Pictured, Harry opening Meghan’s car door
Following the 40-minute walkabout, the reunited ‘Fab Four’, as they were nicknamed before Meghan and Harry stepped back from their royal duties, all got into a vehicle together
William entered the driver’s side, with Kate on his left, and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex sat in the back – with Harry sweetly rushing to open and close his wife’s car door for her
‘I’m pleased that they came out together and as a family I’m delighted that they all took the time to come and say hello to the crowds. Sad things like funerals bring families together so I hope that when they get back to California they think long and hard about everything that’s happened.’
Harry only took place after an extended negotiation which delayed the Sussexes arrival by at least 45 minutes.
Royal sources say William attempted to bury the hatchet by extending an ’11th-hour olive branch’ to his younger brother Harry, by asking him to join him on a walkabout outside Windsor Castle following a phone call with his father Charles III.
In a scene that clearly delighted royal fans, who had come in their hundreds to the gates of the Windsor estate to mourn the Queen’s death, William and Harry walked out side-by-side with wives Kate and Meghan.
The ‘fab four’ reunited at Windsor to mourn the death of The Queen; it was the first time the couples have been together in public since March 2020
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex view the tributes left after the death of Queen Elizabeth II
Last night, a Kensington Palace spokesman said that the Prince of Wales had invited the Sussexes to join him and the Princess of Wales during yesterday evening’s walkabout.
However, according to The Times, the camps required extended negotiations beforehand which delayed their arrival by 45 minutes.
A senior Palace source said: ‘The Prince of Wales invited the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to join him and the Princess of Wales earlier. The Prince of Wales thought it was an important show of unity for the Queen at an incredibly difficult time for the family.’
Experts predict the moment could provide a turning point in the frayed relationship between newly-titled Waleses, and the Sussexes, who have been at odds following a series of damaging interviews by Harry and Meghan.
The Montecito-based Sussexes were consequently in the UK on a pseudo royal tour when the Queen’s health suddenly deteriorated on Thursday.
Harmony? The Princes appeared to have put their troubles to one side to honour the Queen’s memory
It is believed the Sussexes had not previously made any plans to meet with the Waleses, despite staying in Frogmore Cottage, just 700 yards from William and Kate’s Adelaide Cottage. However both William and Harry raced to Balmoral on Thursday after it became clear the Queen’s health was faltering.
The Sussexes’ friend and preferred journalist Omid Scobie later claimed on Twitter that the invitation was made at the ’11th hour’.
However, hinting that William is prepared to extend Harry an olive branch and work towards melting the ice between them, he declared: ‘It is, without a doubt, a significant moment in the history of the relationship between the two brothers’.
King Charles says he wants ‘to express my love for Harry and Meghan’ as he extends olive branch to the US-based prince and his wife
King Charles III extended an olive branch to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in his first address to Britain and the world as monarch yesterday.
The new Sovereign, who became King the moment that his mother Queen Elizabeth II passed away on Thursday afternoon at Balmoral Castle aged 96, said he wished to ‘express my love for Harry and Meghan as they continue to build their lives overseas’ – in a move likely to be regarded by royal commentators as a bid to finally draw a line under the tumult of recent years.
Catherine, Princess of Wales, Prince William, Prince of Wales, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex on the long Walk at Windsor Castle to greet well-wishers
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex plunged the monarchy into crisis during the twilight years of the Queen’s reign after sensationally quitting frontline royal duties and moving to California two years ago – a saga which precipitated the rift between Harry and his brother William, allegations of racism against the royals and claims the Firm failed to help a suicidal Meghan.
After their bombshell interview with US talk show host Oprah Winfrey, Harry appeared to suggest, in a mental health podcast, that his father and the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh had all failed as parents – while the family was still mourning Prince Philip’s death last year.
The Duke of Sussex had grief etched on his face as he was swept into the grounds of Windsor Castle this afternoon after losing a race against time to get to his grandmother’s bedside before she died yesterday.
King Charles III went to Buckingham Palace to meet fellow mourners this afternoon where he shook hands and accepted their condolences to cries of ‘God save the King’ and impromptu renditions of the national anthem. One woman kissed him on the cheek. He also inspected flowers and tributes left for his late mother at the gates before entering the palace.
Harry landed at Heathrow yesterday lunchtime after jumping on an early morning BA flight where he comforted an airport worker with a reassuring hand on her shoulder after she gave him her condolences.
He left Balmoral after 12 hours mourning his grandmother with his father and brother – but despite the brevity of the visit, the Sussexes are not expected to return to California until after the state funeral, currently expected to be ten days from now on Monday, September 19.
The Duke of Sussex was the last royal to arrive at the Aberdeenshire castle on Thursday and the first to leave on Friday morning.
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