Royal princes, Prince William and Prince Harry put up a show of unity outside Windsor Castle after the death of their grandmother, leaving so many people in shock. The act was not easy for the brothers.
The Royal Princes Step Out In Unison After Queen Elizabeth’s Burial
“It was awkward. Both couples found it hard,” a royal insider tells PEOPLE. “They were in a stoic spirit of just getting through it for the Queen.” Kate, Meghan, Prince William and Prince Harry went out together for a walkabout, greeting well-wishers and looking at flowers and other memorial items people left for the Queen. Kensington Palace reported at the time that William invited his kid bro Harry and his wife to join him and Kate.
Prince William And Prince Harry’s Outing After The Queen’s Death Was “Awkward”
A different insider reported that security was not expecting the princes and their wives. The older prince thought the walkabout to greet the crowds “was an important show of unity at an incredibly difficult time for the family,” an Insider previously told PEOPLE. Another insider said, “It’s such an extraordinary historical moment and also a deeply personal one for the family that you’d hope and think that all members of the family would unite and support [King Charles III] especially. And perhaps some of those wounds can be healed in the process.”
Relations among the royal family has been strained since Harry and Meghan stepped down from their royal duties, s this reunion was poignant. Harry and Meghan moved to California after they stepped down, although they privately introduced King Charles to his granddaughter Lilibet, 1, for the first time.
The then prince also got a chance to see his 3-year-old grandson, Archie. “It was a fantastic visit. The prince was delighted to see his grandson and meet his granddaughter for the first time,” a royal source said, adding that it was “wonderful” to have The couple back in the U.K.
The Duke of Sussex also spoke about his children spending time with the late monarch in a tribute to the Queen following her death: “Granny, while this final parting brings us great sadness, I am forever grateful for all of our first meetings — from my earliest childhood memories with you, to meeting you for the first time as my Commander-in-Chief, to the first moment you met my darling wife and hugged your beloved great-grandchildren.”
However, during the Queen’s funeral on Monday, it didn’t seem as if the rift was over. “When families have a falling-out, you long for them to hug one another,” royal biographer Penny Junor shares with PEOPLE. “It broke my heart.” People close to Kong Charles and Queen Camilla are hoping that William and Harry will follow the late monarch’s lead.
A source close to the King says, “You’d think that all members of the family would unite and support the King, especially. Perhaps some wounds can be healed in the process.” The source added, “She knew that conflicts were a part of life, and she didn’t hold grudges. Most of all, she wanted to see her family happy.”
