Feuding Prince William and Prince Harry put their royal rift aside following the death of the Queen. The brothers and their wives Kate and Meghan appeared – without prior notice – to inspect a sea of floral tributes at Windsor Castle left for Her Majesty.
The symbolic show of strength for mourners yesterday was a fitting tribute to their beloved gran the Queen, who died on Thursday. A spokesman for William, 40, said it was the newly-appointed Prince of Wales who extended the invitation to Harry, who is 38 on Thursday, and the Duchess of Sussex, 41. But despite the unexpected reunion, royal expert Ingrid Seward says it doesn't mean their rift has been healed.
For the latest updates as the world mourns the Queen and King Charles III's reign begins, follow our live blog.
She told the Mirror: "William, as the elder brother and more senior royal, held out the olive branch to his younger brother. But the fact they put pettiness aside doesn’t mean they have reconciled – or that they will.
"I don’t think there was ever a lot of love between them. They always had their differences, a rivalry. We assumed they lived in each other’s pockets but that was an illusion.
"I believe there is a fundamental personality clash – they are quite different. I remember Harry saying once that after William came back from his gap year, he liked him a lot better than he did before.
"William was the favoured son, the heir, the important one. Harry was the also-ran – Princesses Anne and Margaret have talked about how that feels as a child. The number two, in a hierarchy like the monarchy, is not always a great place to be.
"Charles making William and Catherine the Prince and Princess of Wales means William is taking over Diana’s mantle.
"It’s his now, and Harry doesn’t need to fight for it anymore. Their father’s words in his speech on Friday were very important.
"Charles wanted to make sure Harry and Meghan were mentioned. I’m not saying they suddenly think Meghan is wonderful. But I think they want peace.
"And I hope – as do we all – that the peace lasts. Who knows if it will? But as long as they can pretend, that will help.
"I think Meghan will keep her thoughts to herself if she is included by the family. You could see her hesitation as the four of them posed for a photograph at the end of the walkabout."
However, Ingrid, editor-in-chief of Majesty Magazine, said yesterday's walkabout was something the Queen, William and Harry's granny, would have wanted.
"She added: "When they jointly greeted the crowds outside Windsor Castle today, you knew they had put duty before themselves.
"It was just as Granny would have wanted, as she would have done. And it had to happen.
"People say grief brings people together and I agree it does. When a person who you both loved very much dies, you are united in grief and memories.
"For the sake of their grandmother and their father, the boys simply had to show unity. As civilised people, they understood that the new King Charles III is relying on their support.
"And the last thing he needs at the start of his reign is to have press attention focused on the spat between his children. So they will have thought, 'What can we do for Granny? Let’s make this look good.'
"Over the coming days, we should see further unity, but no huggy stuff and nothing to detract from Charles’s smooth succession to the throne. I’m sure the Queen hoped this would happen. She wouldn’t have liked how it detracted from the business of the monarchy. It was getting to be a bit like the War of Waleses in the 1990s.
"None of us knows their true feelings but we don’t have to. Let’s be happy for them and for the nation – and keep our fingers crossed."
* This weekend, the Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror celebrate the life of Her Majesty the Queen with a commemorative special filled with all the key moments from Britain’s longest reigning monarch. Be sure to pick up your copy of the Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror to get poth pullouts.
You can leave your tributes to Queen Elizabeth II here.
