Princes William and Harry and Meghan and Kate are REUNITED

Daily Mail

King Charles III‘s warring sons Prince William and Harry and their wives Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle all appeared in black at Windsor Castle this evening as they went on a 40-minute walkabout inspecting the sea of floral tributes laid outside the gates of the royal estate in tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II.

The Prince and Princess of Wales and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were greeted by applause as they walked along the gates of Windsor Castle together as they honoured the legacy of Her Majesty – temporarily putting aside the differences sparked by Megxit which have fractured the Royal Family and plunged the monarchy into one of its most severe ever crises.

A Kensington Palace source said that the Prince of Wales invited the Sussexes to join him and the Princess of Wales earlier today.

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’.

Tonight’s surprise appearance is thought to be the first time that the two couples have all been in public together since Commonwealth Day on March 9, 2020.

Harry and Meghan, who sensationally 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.

At one moment, a small Paddington Bear toy was given to William, which he passed on to an aide. He was seen lightly touching Kate’s back at one moment as she crouched down again to speak to a child at the front of the gates. Kate crouched down at one moment and began speaking to a child who had started to cry. The child stopped crying when Kate approached her.

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 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. 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.’

A third added: ‘It might build some bridges. It might have been the Queen’s wish.’

Just moments earlier, the Prince of Wales paid an emotional tribute to his late ‘Grannie’, describing the beloved monarch as an ‘extraordinary leader, whose commitment to the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth was absolute’ and admitting it would be ‘some time’ before her loss ‘will truly feel real’.

It comes as royal courtiers announced that the Queen’s funeral will take place at Westminster Abbey on Monday September 19 at 11am. Senior palace officials revealed that Her Majesty’s oak coffin, which is lying in the Ballroom at Balmoral Castle, will be taken by road to the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh on Sunday September 11, on a six-hour journey by hearse. The Queen will then lie in state for ‘four clear days’ in Westminster Hall from Wednesday September 14 before the state funeral.