WINDSOR, England — Prince William, Prince Harry and their spouses reunited at Windsor Castle on Saturday afternoon, appearing to put aside their rift to pay tribute to their late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.
Hundreds of mourners and visitors lined the 4-mile path to the castle, straining their necks to catch a glimpse of the royals and cheering when the foursome appeared.
Princes William and Harry, as well as Catherine, Princess of Wales, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, paused at a large flower memorial for the queen, stopping to read handwritten notes and admire the bouquets that mourners had left throughout the day.
The reunion was a notable and striking event given that the siblings have grown distant in recent years, especially following Harry and Meghan’s decision to quit the royals for a life in the United States.
In an interview with Oprah Winfrey, which aired last year, Harry and Meghan revealed a raft of allegations and details about their lives before and after they distanced themselves from the royal family. Meghan said she had suicidal thoughts when she was intertwined with the royals.
Harry spoke about how he'd felt “really let down” by his father, now King Charles III, whom he said had stopped taking his calls at one point as the couple dialed back their royal duties.
Amid growing speculation about a growing rift, Harry also said that his relationship with his brother, William, was about giving "space," and Meghan said she cried before her wedding following a disagreement with Catherine, also known as Kate.
Both Harry and Meghan spoke warmly about the late queen during that interview, with the duchess saying she has “always been wonderful to me.”
Meghan also claimed that in the months leading up to her son Archie’s birth, a royal insider expressed “concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he’s born." She didn't reveal who made the comments as it would be “very damaging to them.”
The couple had frequently criticized media tabloids over their coverage of Meghan. Some Black women have argued that coverage of the Los Angeles native’s roots by certain outlets indicated the underlying racism in British society.
On Friday, Charles was greeted by cheering crowds gathered outside Buckingham Palace when he addressed the nation as it mourned the death of his mother.
In his speech, he paid homage to his “darling mama” and gave a nod to his own children, announcing that Prince William would take on his former title, Prince of Wales, and adding that he wanted “to express my love for Harry and Meghan as they continue to build their lives overseas.”
Daniel Arkin reported from Windsor; Mirna Alsharif reported from New York.
