The Prince and Princess of Wales have reunited with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to look at some of the tributes left at Windsor Castle following the sad passing of the Queen.
The two brothers and their wives unexpectedly came together to view the flowers and cards that had been laid by members of the public paying their respects to the monarch, who died at the age of 96 on Thursday, writes The Mirror. Their appearance at Windsor also marked the first time that William and Kate have been seen together in public since the new King Charles gave them their new titles of Prince and Princess of Wales during his address to the nation yesterday.
It's also the first time the two couples have been seen together since the Commonwealth Day service in early 2020, which was Meghan and Harry's final engagement after quitting the royal family. There have been many reports of a fallout between the brothers and their wives, with Meghan accusing Kate of making her cry during her Oprah Winfrey interview and Harry saying his brother is "trapped".
The Sussexes arrived holding hands and all four royals bent down to look at some of the many tributes left in front of the gates. Meghan and Harry were seen chatting, but appeared to keep a slight distance away from William and Kate.
At one point, William crouched down to read some of the messages that had been left on the cards The walkabout came after William, now heir to the throne, issued a tearjerking tribute to his beloved grandmother following her death.
He said: "On Thursday, the world lost an extraordinary leader, whose commitment to the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth was absolute. So much will be said in the days ahead about the meaning of her historic reign.
"I, however, have lost a grandmother. And while I will grieve her loss, I also feel incredibly grateful. I have had the benefit of The Queen’s wisdom and reassurance into my fifth decade. My wife has had 20 years of her guidance and support. My three children have got to spend holidays with her and create memories that will last their whole lives.
"She was by my side at my happiest moments. And she was by my side during the saddest days of my life. I knew this day would come, but it will be some time before the reality of life without Grannie will truly feel real.
"I thank her for the kindness she showed my family and me. And I thank her on behalf of my generation for providing an example of service and dignity in public life that was from a different age, but always relevant to us all.
"My grandmother famously said that grief was the price we pay for love. All of the sadness we will feel in the coming weeks will be testament to the love we felt for our extraordinary Queen. I will honour her memory by supporting my father, The King, in every way I can."
Earlier today, William was present at the Accession Council, where his father Charles was officially proclaimed monarch in a poignant and sombre ceremony.
He watched alongside new Queen Consort Camilla and more than 200 privy counsellors – including six former prime ministers – as the King pledged himself to the task now before him and the “heavy responsibilities of Sovereignty”.
Meanwhile at Balmoral, other members of the Queen's family viewed flowers and greeted wellwishers at Balmoral - the Scottish Highlands estate where the monarch died on Thursday.
The monarch's granddaughters Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, Zara Tindall and Lady Louise Windsor, along with her daughter-in-law Sophie Wessex looked at the tributes.
Also looking at the tributes and greeting the crowds were Prince Andrew, Prince Edward, Peter Phillips, Princess Anne and her husband Sir Timothy Laurence. The Queen's coffin has remained at Balmoral since her death and has been placed in the ballroom there so household staff can line up to pay their respects.
The poignant spot is where the monarch danced during the annual Ghillies Ball and shared special moments with Prince Philip as a young princess. The coffin is draped in the Royal Standard and will remain in the ballroom until tomorrow, where it will make the journey to the Palace of Holyrood House in Edinburgh before being brought to London.
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