Wow. Prince William and Prince Harry are really trying to prove they are a united front following Queen Elizabeth II’s death.
On Wednesday, the Queen’s casket was transported from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall during a procession including many of her family members. This is where she will remain for a five-day Lying-in-State period during which the public can pay their respects before her funeral on September 19. Of course, King Charles III was walking in the ceremony as well as her other children Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward. Most notably, her grandchildren William and Harry also followed behind on foot — remarkably standing side by side! They didn’t even need their buffer!!
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Because of the brothers’ ongoing feud, they have often been separated at formal events to avoid any tension or distraction, such as during Prince Philip’s funeral. So, it’s very striking to see them standing next to each other this time!! You can see them make their way to Westminster Hall (below).
As you can tell from the video, the Archewell founder was not wearing his military uniform (nor was Prince Andrew, who was in the row ahead of Princess Diana’s sons). Earlier this week, Harry and Andrew were banned from wearing their uniforms since they are not working royals — but, controversially, Andrew was granted permission to wear his uniform during the Queen’s final vigil.
Also in attendance were the Queen Consort Camilla and Princess Catherine AKA Kate Middleton, who rode in a car following those walking. Meghan Markle was in a separate vehicle.
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Wednesday’s procession to Westminster picked up a day after the Queen’s coffin reached London from St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland. The 96-year-old passed away on Thursday at Balmoral Castle. Her daughter, Princess Anne, who accompanied the casket from Scotland to England, reflected on her final moments with her mother, saying in an official statement on Tuesday:
“I was fortunate to share the last 24 hours of my dearest Mother’s life. It has been an honor and a privilege to accompany her on her final journeys. Witnessing the love and respect shown by so many on these journeys has been both humbling and uplifting. We will all share unique memories.”
Thousands of beloved fans have taken to the streets since the Queen’s death to pay their respects. Some lucky visitors even got a chance to interact with William, Kate, Harry, and Meghan during their surprising appearance outside of Windsor Castle on Saturday. As we’ve reported, the show of unity was the couples’ first public appearance together since 2020 — a huge milestone and one only the Queen could have influenced!
While the new Prince of Wales invited his estranged brother to accompany him and his wife, a source told Us Weekly on Wednesday it “wasn’t an easy decision” for him to make. No kidding! Ultimately, it sounds like the brothers had a heart-to-heart about the circumstances and decided this is what the Queen would have wanted, the source continued:
“In the end, [William] elected to [invite them] because it was agreed amongst all of them that this very much the appropriate thing to do.”
According to the confidant, the reason the dad of three was hesitant to welcome the Cali residents to visit their grandmother’s memorial with him was because he didn’t want to create any unnecessary drama (which, unfortunately, they did!!). The insider noted:
“For all of their differences in the past, many of which still linger, this was what The Queen would have wanted and William knew very well that it was no time to be holding onto grudges or distancing himself from his brother. They needed to put on a united front and pay their respects for her sake as well as the monarchy as a whole and the people she served so tirelessly during her reign.”
Definitely the right thing to do. The Queen would have been impressed with their ability to put their problems in the past and focus on what really matters, honoring her legacy. Though this new insight certainly suggests this show of unity may be short-lived! Better than nothing, we suppose… What do YOU think?! Sound OFF (below)!
[Image via John Rainford/WENN/MEGA & Washington Post/YouTube]
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